Journalism of Courage
As the government tried to corner the Congress in Parliament Monday by attacking Rahul Gandhi over his remarks in London on Indian democracy, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge reminded the BJP about some remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visits abroad. He said it was strange that “those destroying democracy” were now talking of “saving” it.
While the Opposition remained united in attacking the government over its alleged “misuse” of Central agencies and the Adani Group affairs – the Opposition wanted discussions on both issues in Parliament – some of the parties spoke in support of Gandhi and his remarks, but some did not.
The larger Opposition refrain was that the government was using the Rahul issue to disrupt the House and avoid discussions on the issues that the Opposition wanted to raise.
Addressing a press conference with several Opposition leaders, Kharge said the BJP was “crushing democracy” in India.
“There is no place for the Constitution and democracy in Modi and BJP raj. They are misusing every autonomous body and agency… No notice, no rule of law… He is running the country like a dictator. And they are talking about democracy, patriotism and pride of the country,” Kharge alleged.
He then referred to some of the remarks made by Modi on foreign soil.
“In China, Modi had said that ‘earlier you felt ashamed of being born in India, but now you feel proud to represent the country’… Who said this? The Prime Minister had said it,” Kharge said.
“In South Korea, the PM had said that ‘earlier people would lament, they would ask what sin they committed to have been born in India… Businessmen wanted to leave the country for better opportunities abroad. But these people are now saying that they will come back even if their incomes are lower than in other places’… Was this not an insult to India and Indians? Tell your Ministers to refresh their memories,” he said.
In Canada, Kharge said, the Prime Minister, while referring to the UPA government, had said that those who created scams and dirt have now gone and that he would now clean up the mess. “Arre gandagi to aap kar rahe hain… you are destroying democracy, ruining the Constitution, using agencies to throttle and crush the voice of the Opposition… These people are talking about democracy, nationalism and the country’s pride… First see the mirror of truth before lecturing the Congress party,” Kharge said.
Some of the Opposition leaders addressed the press conference with Kharge. While some backed Rahul Gandhi, some remained silent and instead attacked the government over the Adani matter.
BRS leader K Keshava Rao said the BJP government is using Gandhi’s largely “academic” remarks to make a political issue because it doesn’t want to answer questions on the Adani Group affairs.
CPM’s Elamaram Kareem alleged that disruption of House proceedings was “intentional” and was done “to avoid a discussion on Adani and the Central government’s interference in Opposition-ruled states”.
RJD leader Manoj Kumar Jha said Rahul Gandhi had shown the “mirror” to the government.
“During the first part of the Budget session, there was much heat on the Adani issue. So the Sahab was worried… how to divert attention… how to manage the headline. He has adopted two ways… first was Rahul’s speech in which he showed the mirror… how democracy is stricken…the other way is raids…IT, CBI, ED,” Jha alleged.
AAP leader Sanjay Singh did not mention the Rahul issue and instead focused on targeting the Prime Minister over the Adani issue. The TMC too was silent on Rahul Gandhi’s remarks.
“We have identified seven issues which should be discussed in Parliament… from SBI and LIC exposure, price of gas to the centre-state relations….The government does not want to discuss any of these. That is why the BJP is disrupting the House,” TMC floor leader in Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien said.
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said the decision to allow Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal to attack Rahul Gandhi, who was not a member of the House, proved that Gandhi was right in saying that the Constitution and democracy were being bypassed in the country.
