Sonia extends support to mega Oppn rally

Even as she skipped the Trinamool Congress’(TMC) mega opposition rally in Kolkata on Saturday Sonia Gandhi in a written statement praised the rally.

She described it as an important attempt to galvanise political leaders against the BJP government.

The statement was read out by Congress’ Lok Sabha leader Mallikarjun Kharge at the rally.

“The rally marks an important attempt to galvanise leaders across the political spectrum to fight the arrogant and divisive Narendra Modi government. I wish the rally all the success,” Sonia said in the statement.

She also stated that the country is currently facing a crisis due to lack of employment generation, plight of farmers and fishermen.

“An envelope of crisis looms from our farmers to the borders. The youth of the country are jobless, rice and jute farmers are in severe distress and fishermen are suffering from heavy loss,” she said in the statement read out by Kharge.

She further claimed that the people of the country are being financially squeezed and democratic institutions are being undermined.

As for the next Lok Sabha elections, she said that it will be different from earlier elections.

“The upcoming Lok Sabha elections will not be an ordinary one. This will be an election to restore the nation’s faith in democracy, defend our secular ethos, our heritage and defeat forces that are trying to sabotage the Constitution of India,” she stated.

During his speech, Kharge said that unless the Opposition unites, the people of the country have to tolerate Narendra Modi and Amit Shah’s act of trampling democracy.

“Till we (the Opposition parties) unite we have to see the Modi-Shah duo trampling democracy,” Kharge said.

He also accused the prime minister of not keeping his promise of generating 2-crore jobs annually.

“If Modi’s promise is anything to be taken seriously then 9.5-crore jobs should have been created by now. But because of the government 1.6-crore people are unemployed,” he said.

Other Opposition leaders also urged people to oust the Narendra Modi government in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

“If the Modi-Shah duo wins the next Lok Sabha elections then they will change the Constitution to prevent any further election in the country,” Chief Minister of Delhi and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal said.

DMK president M K Stalin said that “the next Lok Sabha elections will be like the second freedom struggle aimed at freeing India from the clutches of radical Hinduism.”

Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir and National Conference Chief Farooq Abdullah claimed that the EVM machines are faulty and used to cheat voters.

TDP supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandra Babu Naidu accused the BJP of betraying the people.

“The Prime Minister is a publicity PM and not a performing PM. We want a performing PM,” he said.

Disgruntled BJP MLA Shatrughan Sinha said that if the “Prime Ministers continues to suppress facts about the Rafael deal then he will have to keep hearing Chowkidar chore hai.”

Arun Shourie, a former Union minister urged the Opposition parties to unite and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said that in 2019 the country will get a new prime minister.