NEW DELHI: Launching a counter attack on the Modi government , Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged on Wednesday that an undeclared emergency prevailed in the country.
He accused the BJP of staging a ‘Constitution Murder Day’ drama to hide its governance failure. Hitting back at PM Narendra Modi over his jibes on the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, Kharge said a government which has no tolerance and does not allow fraternity and liberty to prosper has no right to lecture others.
Addressing a press conference at the Congress’ Indira Bhawan, Kharge slammed the BJP-RSS and said those who “played no role in the independence of the country, in framing the Constitution, and rejected BR Ambedkar’s Constitution” are raking up the Emergency, 50 years after it was imposed. The same people are now talking of saving the Constitution, he added.
Kharge said the Constitution is in danger because of PM Modi and his governance. The Congress chief also alleged that there is no freedom of expression and movement under the Modi government.
“Those (BJP-RSS) people who are talking of saving the Constitution are now raking up the Emergency after 50 years. It was something people had forgotten and they are now raking it up,” he said.
Kharge said the BJP-RSS had rejected the Constitution stating that it did not have cultural aspects such as elements of the Manusmriti. “They (BJP-RSS) did all this and have now been suddenly enlightened.” According to the Congress chief, the BJP is rattled with the Congress’ ‘save constitution’ rallies.
“These people failed in governance and their failure is such that people are concerned over inflation, the government has no answer to unemployment, corruption and economic failure. To hide their lies and failure they have staged this drama,” Kharge said.
He said economic inequalities have widened so much that they cannot be bridged. “You have brought in an undeclared emergency,” the Congress president said.
He alleged that the Election Commission has become a “puppet” in the hands of the government and claimed that his party is raising the issue of “irregularities” in elections but the poll watchdog is not ready to listen.
Criticising Kharge’s comments directed at Modi, the BJP said the Congress was unsettled by the observance of ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas’, which has revived public memory of the excesses committed during the Emergency.
“When misdeeds of the Congress are being recalled, its frustration becomes evident. The language used by AICC president Kharge while referring to the Prime Minister is highly condemnable,” BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said.
“Neither Kharge nor Congress’ communication head Jairam Ramesh truly understands the pain and suffering caused by the Emergency. The Congress seems unaware of the atrocities an ordinary Indian had to endure during that time,” he said.
Responding to Kharge’s allegation that BJP and RSS members played no role in India’s struggle for independence, Patra posed a counter-question: “From where Sonia Gandhi’s family and her parents were participating in India’s struggle for freedom? From Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha or West Bengal?”