Rahul Gandhi on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the BJP government saying there is “imaginary democracy” in the country and even RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat would be labeled a “terrorist” if he dared to stand up against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Rahul’s sharp attack came minutes after he led a three-member delegation to President Ram Nath Kovind, demanding the repeal of the three farm sector laws, which have farmers from across Punjab and parts of Haryana camping at the Delhi borders for nearly a month against the Centre’s agricultural reforms.
Scores of Congress leaders, including AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were detained by the police as they tried to march to the Rashtrapati Bhawan to demand the repeal of the three laws.
Besides Rahul, Congress’ floor leaders in Parliament Ghulam Nabi Azad and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury met the President and handed over a memorandum opposing the farm sector laws and expressing solidarity with the protesting farmers.
“We did not go to the President alone but took along with us two crore signatures seeking these demands. Prime Minister Modi has to hear them,” Rahul told reporters.
The former Congress President also demanded a joint session of Parliament to repeal the farm sector laws.
He accused the Modi government of favouring “crony capitalists” dubbing anyone opposing them as “terrorists” and “anti-national”.
“They will be called a terrorist – be it farmers, labourers or anyone. If one day even Mohan Bhagwat stands up against him, he will be branded a terrorist,” Rahul said.
On the detention of Congress leaders by the police, he said it was the government’s usual way of “detaining or beating up” protests.
“Which country are you talking about? Are you talking about India? There is no democracy in India. Democracy exists only in your imagination, not in reality,” Rahul said.
(Published 24 December 2020, 10:30 IST)
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