New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday pointed out a dangerous trend of putting pressure to silence the opposition parties, civil societies, non-government organisations (NGOs) and the Media.
He and Congress spokespersons expressed concerns over the government giving lip service to the oppressed on April 14, the birth anniversary of Constitution framer Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar.
Congress general secretary Kumari Selja wondered if Baba Saheb Ambedkar approved weakening of the pillars of democracy by not allowing debate in Parliament, not replying to questions, removing speeches of senior leaders from the proceedings, and not allowing Parliament to function during the just-concluded budget session of Parliament.
"Are these steps meant to strengthen democracy? Ministers talk non-sense about judiciary and the PM does not stop it. Investigating agencies are being misused, 95% of time they are used against the opposition leaders," she said at a press conference here.
She said eventually India is heading for dictatorship, defying Ambedkar's desire to strengthen the democracy. Herself from a Dalit community, she said the income of Dalit and the lower middle class has gone down and still the government says not to criticise Adani.
The real wages of the workers are stagnant in 9 years of the Modi rule, Shelja said, adding that the real data is being suppressed by the government. "The 2021 Census stopped on the excuse of Covid-19. Another slap on the face of the poor people by giving them paltry ₹50,000. Atrocities on Dalits and Adivasis have increased during the government's Amrit Kal," she said.
"Are Dalits, Adivasis and Minorities not people of India or reduced as the second class citizens?" Shelja asked, calling for socio-economic growth of these citizens. But, she said, nothing could be done when the data is not available for the judiciary to act.
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