Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi in a scathing attack on BJP at an event at VOC College in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, said there has been a systematic attack on institutions during the last six years and democracy is dead in India.
He said, "in India there is Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha, panchayats, judiciary and a free press. These institutions together hold the nation in place. Over the last six years, we’ve seen a systematic attack on all these institutions."
Commenting on the country's democratic condition under BJP government, Rahul said, "democracy does not die with a bang, it dies slowly. I am sad to tell you that democracy is dead in India. It is dead because one organisation, the RSS, has combined with huge finances to penetrate and disturb and destroy our institutional balance."
He further said, "misuse of sedition law and the killing and threatening of people", adding that "the problem is the concentration of capital has combined with organisation of RSS and destroyed the institutional balance in the country".
Gandhi added that the mandate has been taken away from Congress in many states. "If we look at MP, and attempts in Rajasthan, Goa, Jharkhand, Puducherry, Arunachal, these are all Congress governments where people gave the mandate to us and concentration of capital took the mandate away from us."
Slamming BJP for bribing MLA's, minitsers, he said, "today, if the Congress party wants to win an election, the only way to win is if we have 2/3rd majority. If we win by 10-15 seats, it’s not a win. It’s a loss because BJP comes, buys the people and has its own govt".
During the interaction, Gandhi termed the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) discriminatory on many counts. He also said that Congress is opposed to farm laws and is fighting against them. Replying to a question, Rahul said, "India is entering a phase very much like the British era. We cannot rely on the institutions to protect our democracy anymore. We can only rely on the people of the country."
Taking a jibe at PM Modi on his name being given after a stadium in Ahemadabad, he said, "Question isn't whether PM is useful or useless. Ques tionis who is he useful to? PM is extremely useful to 2 people i.e. 'Hum do Humare Do', who are using him to increase their wealth, & useless to the poor."
His comments came in response to one of the lawyers in the audience who asked Gandhi whether the Prime Minister is useless. In contrast, the Wayanad MP said, "I am useful for the farmers, poor people, women, youths in the country, while Narendra Modi is useful for two people and they are using him to increase their wealth and expand their business." He also said that the two people will throw the PM when time comes and is useless for the poor people.
Rahul reiterated his 'Hum Do Hamare Do' jibe and said, "Four people are running the country. Hum do, hamare do. Everywhere, the imprint of these four people are there."
The MP is on a three days tour in Tamil Nadu ahead of the assembly elections.
