Sonia Gandhi has urged the Opposition parties to work together and thwart the designs of this Modi govt who has pushed the country into an “unprecedented turmoil”.
Caravan News
NEW DELHI — Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday alleged that Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Shah have misled the people on the NRC and NPR issues. Speaking at the Opposition parties meet called by her here, Sonia Gandhi said the BJP government let loose a reign of oppression, besides spreading hatred and trying to divide the country along sectarian lines.
In her opening remarks at the Opposition meet at Parliament annexe, the Congress chief said the country has been pushed by the government into an “unprecedented turmoil”. The Constitution is being “undermined” and the instruments of governance are being “misused” by the BJP government.
Without taking the name of the Muslim community, Sonia came down heavily on the Yogi government for the police firing and other repressive measures in the context of the CAA, and said, “In several parts of the country, especially in Uttar Pradesh, large sections of the population are being harassed and attacked. The response of the police in UP and Delhi has been shockingly partisan and brutal.”
The Congress chief said the students and the youth have in particular been targeted. “I am very glad that we are meeting here to exchange views on what is happening in the country today.” She alleged that the government let loose a reign of oppression.
Lauding the anti-CAA protest, she said students and the youth have in particular been targeted by the police. “The nation has watched in horror the BJP-orchestrated assault on JNU coming so soon after what happened in Jamia, BHU, Allahabad University, AMU and other institutions of higher learning.”
“There have been nation-wide and spontaneous protests by the youth supported by citizens from all walks of life. The immediate cause is the CAA and NRC but they reflect widespread frustration and pent-up anger, which is now out in the open”, she said.
The Congress chief criticised the Modi –Shah rule by saying they have misled the people by contradicting their own statements within a matter of days. “And they continue with their provocative statements while remaining insensitive to the state suppression and violence that are increasingly becoming commonplace.”
Sonia Gandhi alleged that the government was trying to deflect attention of public from the real issues facing the nation. “The real issue facing India today is the collapse of economic activity and slowing of growth and development, affecting all sections of the society, especially the poor and the disadvantaged. The Prime minister and home minister have no answer and want to divert the nation’s attention from this grim reality by raising divisive and polarizing issues one after another.”
ON NRC and NPR
On NRC, she said it has backfired in Assam but the government was now planning to a nation-wide NRC. “The Modi-Shah government is now focussing on the NPR exercise, that is scheduled to begin in a few months. Contrary to the assertions of the home minister, it is clear that this is being done with other motives”.
She urged the Opposition parties to work together and thwart the designs of this government.
Except for the Trinamool Congress, representatives of more than 20 Opposition parties attended the meeting. Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Dr Manmohan Singh, Ghulam Nabi Azad, AK Antony, Ahmed Patel and KC Venugopal from the Congress participated in the meeting.
Notable among the leaders from the other parties at the meet were Sharad Pawar (NCP), Praful Patel (NCP), Sitaram Yechuri from CPI (M), Hemant Soren from JMM, Manoj Jha from RJD, D Raja from CPI, Sharad Yadav from Loktantrik Janta Dal, PK Kinhalikutty from IUML, Shatrujeet Singh from RSP, Thomas Chazhikkadan from KCM, Sirajuddin Ajmal from AIUDF, Justice Hasnain Masoodi from National Conference, Mir Mohd Fayaz from PDP, D Kupendra Reddy from JDS, Ch Ajit Singh from RLD, Jitan Ram Manjhi from Hindustani Awami Morcha, Upendra Kushwaha from RLSP and G Devarajan from Forward Block.
