'Onset of dictatorship': Rahul Gandhi hits out at BJP amid Congress' countrywide protests

"My job is to resist the idea of the RSS and I am going to do it. The more I do it, the more I will be attacked, the harder I will be attacked. I am happy, attack me," the Congress leader claimed.
Congrees leader Rahul Gandhi addresses a press conference at AICC HQ in New Delhi on Friday along with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. (Photo | Shekhar Yadav, EPS)
Congrees leader Rahul Gandhi addresses a press conference at AICC HQ in New Delhi on Friday along with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. (Photo | Shekhar Yadav, EPS)

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday alleged that India is witnessing the "death of democracy" and anybody who stands against the onset of dictatorship is "viciously attacked".

Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here ahead of the nationwide protest by the Congress against price rise and GST on essential items, he said the Gandhi family is attacked because it fights for democracy and for communal harmony.

Gandhi charged that the sole agenda of the government is that people's issues such as price rise, unemployment and violence in society must not be raised.

There is no democracy in India and there is a dictatorship of four people, he alleged.

"What we are witnessing is the death of democracy. That is what India is witnessing. What India has built brick by brick, starting almost a century ago, is basically being destroyed in front of your eyes," Gandhi, who was flanked by party leaders Jairam Ramesh and Ashok Gehlot, said.

"Democracy is now a memory in India and nothing more. There are going to be consequences of this because people of India will not be quiet about that," he also said.

"All of you know it, all of India knows it. Anybody who stands against this idea of the onset of dictatorship, does not matter who he is, where he comes from, which state, which religion, male or female, that person is viciously attacked, put in jail, arrested, beaten up," he said.

The idea is that people's issues, whether they are price rise, unemployment, or violence in society, must not be raised, Gandhi said.

He alleged that the government is being run to protect the interests of four-five people and this "dictatorship" is being run in the interest of "two-three big business people by two people".

Asked about the questioning by the Enforcement Directorate of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and him in the National Herald case, he said, "Question all you want, there is absolutely nothing there, everybody knows it".

"My job is to resist the idea of the RSS and the more I do it, the more I will be attacked. I am happy, attack me," he said.

Gandhi asserted that the government can "continue scaring" them, it will not make a difference.

To another question, he said, "They attack the Gandhi family because we fight for an ideology and there are crores of people like us. We fight for democracy, for communal harmony and have been fighting for years. Only I did not do this."

This has being done for years, my family members have given their lives," he said, adding that this is "our responsibility" .

"When India is divided and Hindus-Muslims are made to fight then we feel pained when someone is assaulted for being Dalit, we are pained, when a woman is beaten up, we are pained that is why we fight. This is not a family, this is an ideology," he asserted.

The Congress is set to hold nationwide protests and will also 'gherao' Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence against price rise, unemployment and GST hike on some essential items.

Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs of the party will also hold a "Chalo Rashtrapati Bhavan" (march to Rashtrapati Bhavan) from Parliament to register the protest against price rise and unemployment.

In all capital cities, the state units would organise a gherao of Raj Bhavans in which MLAs, MLCs, former MPs and senior leaders will participate.

Delhi Police officials have briefed security personnel at Vijay Chowk, ahead of the protests.

Notably, Delhi Police has denied permission to Congress for holding protests. The police officials said that the prohibitory orders are in force in the national capital.

The Delhi Police has imposed Section 144 CrPC in the entire area of the New Delhi district except for Jantar Mantar. The police said that protest/dharna/ gherao in the area of New Delhi district on August 5 cannot be permitted in view of security, law and order and traffic reasons.

Claiming that Nirmala Sitharaman has no understanding of the economy, he said, "I think the macroeconomic fundamentals that she is talking about is something else. I don't think the Finance Minister has any understanding of what is going on in the economy of India, zero understanding. She is there as a mouthpiece."

Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken earlier this week said that they had received a letter from the DCP that they can't protest on August 5 and the AICC (All India Congress) was turned into a Police cantonment. "The government may suppress us as much as they want but we'll protest against inflation, unemployment, GST on edible items and go ahead with our schedule even if jailed," he said.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge meanwhile sparred with Leader of the House Piyush Goyal on Thursday over ED summons issued to the Congress leaders.

While Kharge accused the central government of trying to demoralise and intimidate the Opposition, Goyal responded by claiming that the government does not interfere in the functioning of law-enforcement agencies.

This comes two days after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sealed the Young Indian Limited office located in the National Herald building on Wednesday.

Rahul Gandhi had earlier said the investigation into the National Herald case was an intimidation tactic by the BJP. The case pertains to the alleged financial irregularities in the Congress-promoted Young Indian Private Limited, which owns the National Herald newspaper.

"We are not afraid," he said, adding, "Whatever they [BJP] do won't make any difference. I will continue to do the work to protect our country, its democracy and brotherhood." He added, "They think by putting a little pressure they can silence us. We won't be silent. We will stand against what the BJP is doing. We will not be intimidated."

This protest also comes amidst the ongoing Monsoon Session of the Parliament. Congress MP Manickam Tagore gives Adjournment Motion notice in Lok Sabha, to discuss the GST on several essential commodities.

(With inputs from agencies)

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