Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, in a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the farmer protests, said that there is no democracy in India and those who stood up against the Prime Minister were labelled terrorists.
To a question from a journalist, the Congress leader said, "Democracy? Which country are you talking about? There is no democracy in India." "There is no democracy in India. It can be in your imagination, but not in reality," he said on Delhi Police taking party leaders into custody during their march to Rashtrapati Bhavan.
"PM Modi is making money for the crony capitalists. Whoever will try to stand against him will be called terrorist - be it farmers, labourers and even Mohan Bhagwat," he added.
The Congress leader added that the Government should convene a joint session of Parliament and repeal these laws.
"I want to tell the Prime Minister that these farmers are not going back home until these farm laws are repealed. The government should convene a joint session of Parliament and take back these laws. Opposition parties stand with farmers and labourers," he added.
"China is still at the border. It has snatched away thousands of kilometres of the land of India. Why doesn't Prime Minister speak about it, why is he silent?" the Congress leader said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making the country weak and outside forces are seeing it as an opportunity, he said.
"I want to tell media, understand this, I know you have salaries to protect, but see what is happening," he added.
Earlier today, Congress leaders were taken into police custody after they were denied permission to hold a march against the farm laws.
Later, Delhi Police took party leaders to Mandir Marg Police Station in New Delhi.
"Any dissenting voice against this government is classified as having elements of terror. We are undertaking this march to voice our support for the farmers," Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said while talking to media.
"We are living in a democracy and they are elected MPs. They have the right to meet the President and they should be allowed. What is the problem with that? Government is not ready to listen to voices of lakhs of farmers camping at borders," she said after Congress leaders were stopped from marching to Rashtrapati Bhavan.
"It is a sin to use the kind of names they (BJP leaders and supporters) used for farmers. If the government is calling them anti-nationals, then the government is a sinner," the Congress leader added.
Farmers are protesting at the borders of Delhi since November 26 against the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
