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'Democracy died only once…': BJP hits back after Sonia Gandhi's editorial
Sonia Gandhi wrote an editorial in The Hindu criticising the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of crucial elections in Karnataka and other states this year.
Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Kiren Rijiju ripped into Sonia Gandhi Tuesday over an editorial written by the former Congress chief in a national daily, in which she accused prime minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party of 'systematically dismantling all three pillars of India's democracy' and warned the ruling party 'enforcing silence cannot solve India's problems'.
Law minister Rijiju, who found mention in Sonia Gandhi's letter - she referred to his calling some judges 'anti national', slammed the Congress MP for 'lecturing about democracy' and said the Congress talking about independence of judiciary is an 'illusory statement of the highest improbity'.
Rijiju shared snippets from various speeches that attacked 'certain elements' and 'individuals' - a reference to the Congress and the Gandhi family, although he did not name either - and, in one such speech, he declared, "Indian democracy died only once… in 1975… and never thereafter."
"Ask all questions of elected government but don't question your own country… don't go against your nation. Problem comes whenever and wherever a set of people believe they have divine authority to rule… if some family or individuals are thinking they are above normal citizens, that they are privileged… then the whole thinking goes to a different level," he said in one speech.
On Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha - after a Gujarat court convicted him in the 2019 'Modi surname' case - Rijiju mocked the ex-Wayanad MP and said, "I am observing very closely that the person who speaks the most, inside and outside Parliament, is saying he cannot speak."
Pradhan, the union education minister, slammed the Congress and called the editorial a 'classic example of Modi hatred, misplaced priorities and overestimation of relevance at the national level'.
"Congress leadership must come out of their illusion and wake up to the ground reality— India’s democracy is flourishing, people know PM Modi's intentions and that is why they believe and bless him," Pradhan tweeted.
What did Sonia Gandhi say in her editorial?
In her editorial that was published by The Hindu (paywall), the ex-Congress chief touched upon issues from the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi to the Adani-Hindenburg crisis. She also accused the government of 'unprecedented measures (such as) expunging speeches' to silence opposition leaders.
"… we have witnessed the prime minister and his government systematically dismantling all three pillars of India's democracy - the legislature, the executive and the judiciary - with their actions demonstrating a deep-rooted disdain for democracy and democratic accountability," Sonia Gandhi began and referred to ‘a government-led strategy to disrupt Parliament and prevent the Opposition from raising issues of grave concern… such as unemployment, inflation…’
Sonia Gandhi claimed the prime minister's 'actions speak far louder than his words' and said, "… his statements - when not venting anger at the opposition or blaming past leaders for today's ills - either ignore the most vital issues… or are verbal gymnastics to gloss over or distract from these issues."
The editorial has also been shared by the Congress and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, who called it a 'thought-provoking indictment of the Modi government'.
'Disqualifying at lighting speed…'
The senior Congress leader attacked the BJP for ‘disqualifying a Congress Member of Parliament (she did not name Rahul Gandhi) at lightning speed’.
Rahul Gandhi had been removed as the Lok Sabha MP from Kerala's Wayanad last month after a court in Gujarat found him guilty of criminal defamation in the 'Modi surname' case and sent him to jail for two years.
READ | Rahul Gandhi's first reaction after disqualification: 'Ready to pay…'
The sentence was stayed to give the Congress leader time to file an appeal, which will be heard by a sessions court in Gujarat's Surat on Wednesday.
Rahul Gandhi's disqualification triggered a row that seemed to unite a fractured opposition, giving the BJP's rivals hope ahead of next year's Lok Sabha election.
READ | 'Black shirt' protest for Rahul Gandhi leads to surprise Trinamool visit
'Misuse of CBI…'
The former Congress chief also hit out at the BJP for its alleged misuse of central investigative agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate to target political rivals and harass them into silence or submission - a claim made by other opposition leaders too.
READ | Supreme Court refuses to entertain parties' plea on 'misuse' of CBI, ED
"… over 95% of political cases filed only against the opposition parties - and cases against those who join the BJP miraculously evaporating. The misuse of laws meant for national security against journalists, activists and reputed think tanks has been unprecedented," she wrote.
Judiciary at 'crisis point'
Sonia Gandhi also slammed the 'systematic effort to undermine the credibility of the judiciary' and referred to the law minister calling some judges 'anti national'; "… this language is deliberately chosen to misguide people, inflame their passions… thereby intimidate serving judges."
Finally, Sonia Gandhi also hit out over 'political intimidation' of Indian media organisations, alleging 'debates on news channels (are) emerging as slanging matches to shout down and silence those who question the government'.
As a parting shot, Sonia Gandhi also took aim at union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, of whom she said 'her silence does not help crores struggling to afford daily commodities… or youth facing record unemployment rates'.
