'Not all 'hijabs' are unacceptable to BJP': Congress' Pawan Khera slams Centre over covering slums for BRICS Summit

Taking a swipe at the ruling party's political rhetoric, Pawan Khera accused the administration of trying to hide India's socioeconomic realities.

Congress MP Pawan Khera on Saturday slammed the BJP-led Central Government over the installation of large curtains and temporary barricades to screen off slum clusters and low-income neighbourhoods along key transit routes in the national capital ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit.

Taking a sharp swipe at the ruling party's political rhetoric, Khera, accused the administration of trying to hide India's socioeconomic realities from visiting foreign dignitaries rather than addressing poverty.

Sharing the video on X, Khera posted, “Not all ‘hijabs’ are unacceptable to the BJP. The one that veils Modi’s failures is their favourite.”

Also Read | Pro-Khalistan graffiti appears at Delhi’s Singhu Border ahead of BRICS Summit, 3 arrested

Earlier in the day, Congress MP Manish Tewari said the process of engagement through platforms such as BRICS, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Quad and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was more important than focusing solely on the outcomes of individual meetings, amid what he described as a changing global order.

The Congress MP said the existing global order had collapsed and a new one had not yet emerged.

Also Read | What is BRICS and why does it matter? The story of how a Goldman Sachs acronym became an 11-member bloc

Speaking to ANI, Tewari said, "Ultimately, the world is adrift...Therefore, the old order, which was built by the victors of World War 2 has completely collapsed. A new one has not emerged in its place. So, these meetings should be seen as processes, whether it is ASEAN or ARF or Quad or SCO or BRICS or the various other acronyms which are there around the world. Because everybody is trying to move forward by feeling the stones underneath their feet and to see what will emerge out of this age of monsters, as Antonio Gramsci had characterised...We find ourselves in a similar situation.”

Also Read | Nuclear risks, cross-border payments: Inside key declaration issued at BRICS Summit in Delhi

“So, rather than looking at the outcomes, it is the process which needs to be energised, initialised so that countries and people keep talking to each other. Because it is only through the process of interaction that a viable world order will emerge or else we will regress to the templates of the 17th and 18th centuries,” he further said.

India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit under its 2026 Chairmanship on September 12-13. India's Chairmanship is guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, with development, sustainability and innovation forming key areas of focus.