Kharge Makes a Departure from Congress Convention, Attacks Modi Government on Independence Day
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Aug 15: Following the footsteps of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge too on Tuesday made a departure from the customary Independence Day address launching a frontal attack on the BJP government at the centre.
Hoisting the national flag at the party headquarters in Delhi, Kharge accused the Modi government of muzzling the opposition voices and providing to the country a false impression that only his government was taking developmental activities.
Earlier Modi while addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort had launched a blistering attack on the opposition and without naming the Congress had highlighted that the “parivarvad” and alleged nepotism of the Congress governments in the past was responsible for all the ills the country faced and only his government was undertaking the cleansing process to take the country to the new heights of development.
Before Modi, no other prime minister had used the Independence Day address from the ramparts of the iconic Red Fort for political attacks. Similarly, unlike Kharge, the Congress chiefs whenever in opposition never used the Independence Day celebrations for attacking the Centre. Avoiding any criticism or attack on the Centre on Independence Day has so far been a convention in the Congress.
Kharge, who skipped the official Red Fort ceremony with the chair marked for him showing empty and was criticised by the BJP for his action, said in the Modi era, the opposition voice was being muzzled, and parliament members are being suspended. “My own mike has been muted in the house,” he said.
Referring to Modi’s address from Red Fort, Kharge said an impression has been created that developmental work has taken place only in the last few years. Kharge recounted the role of former Congress PMs and their contribution towards nation building.
Kharge said he could not go to the Red Fort for the speech as he had an eye problem. He said he was also expected to hoist the flag in his own house then go to the Congress office, and with so much security for the PM and others, and the fact that they wouldn’t allow him to leave till the Home Minister, Defence Minister, Speaker, and some others did, it would have been impossible to attend.
Earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called Bharat Mata as the voice of every Indian. “Bharat Mata is the voice of every Indian! Happy Independence Day to all the countrymen,” Gandhi said, sharing some thoughts from his ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’.
The Congress president today pledged to uphold democracy and the Constitution, which he alleged were in danger. He saluted the sacrifices of innumerable Indians who gave up their lives during the freedom struggle, and said they not only made contribution to the national movement but also laid a strong foundation of India.
He also lauded the contribution of former prime ministers, including Atal Bihari Vajpayee who, he said, always worked for the country and took many steps for progress and development. “It pains me to say that today, democracy, Constitution and autonomous institutions – all three are in great danger,” he lamented.
“New tactics are being adopted to suppress the voice of the opposition. Raids by CBI, ED, Income Tax are happening, Election Commission is being weakened. Efforts are being made to suppress the voice of opposition MPs in Parliament by suspending them. Someone’s mic is going off or someone’s words are getting expunged. Privilege motions are being brought,” the Congress chief said.
In the coming times, people may not believe that there was a time when people from the ruling party used to block proceedings of Parliament, he noted, targeting the current dispensation. “Great people don’t erase old history to write new history. They draw their line big, they don’t make the already drawn line smaller by cutting or erasing it,” Kharge said.
