From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday pointed out a dangerous trend of putting pressure for silence on the opposition parties, civil societies, non-government organisations (NGOs) and the Media.
He and Congress spokespersons expressed concern over the government giving lip service to the oppressed on April 14, the birth anniversary of Constitution framer Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar.
Congress general secretary Kumari Selja wondered if Baba Saheb Ambedkar approved weakening of the columns of democracy by not allowing debate in Parliament, no reply to questions, speeches of senior leaders removed from the proceedings and the government itself did not allow Parliament to function during the just-concluded budget session of Parliament.
“Are these steps are meant to strengthen democracy? When ministers talk non-sense about judiciary and the PM does not stop it. Investigating agencies are being misused, 95% of them used against the opposition leaders,” she asked at a press conference here.
She said eventually India is heading for dictatorship, defying Ambedkar’s desire to strengthen the democracy. Herself from a Dalit community, she said the income of Dalit and the lower middle class has become still poorer and still the government says not to criticise Adani.
The real wages of the workers are stagnant in 9 years of the Modi rule. Shelja said the real data is being suppressed by the government. The 2021 Census stopped on the excuse of Covid-19. Another slap on the face of the poor people by giving them paltry Rs 50,000. She said atrocities on Dalits and Adivasis have increased during the government’s Amrit Kal.
Are Dalits, Adivasis and Minorities are not people of India or reduced as the second citizens. Shelja called for socio-economic growth of these citizens, but nothing could be done when the data is not available for the juidiciary to act.
