Modi govt’s systematic 5-fold assault on democracy, says Congress

New Delhi: The Congress party on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the NDA government, alleging that over the past 11 years, democracy has been under a systematic and dangerous assault that can be described as “Undeclared Emergency@11”.

With this, the party sought to counter the BJP-led NDA government’s ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ campaign on the 50 years of the Emergency.

In a statement, Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, alleged a five-fold assault on Indian Democracy.

“Over the past eleven years and thirty days, Indian democracy has been under a systematic and dangerous five-fold assault that can be best described as Undeclared Emergency@11,” Ramesh said in the statement.

He has listed these assaults in the statement alleging vilification and continued attack on the Constitution.

His first point is titled “Attacks on the Constitution” and lists five instances in which the party seeks to prove its contention.

Ramesh said that during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Prime Minister sought a ‘Char Sau Paar’ mandate for a new Constitution and to betray Dr Ambedkar’s legacy, but the people of India denied him that mandate.

“The Modi government has consistently shredded parliamentary norms. MPs have been arbitrarily suspended merely for raising issues of public concern. The government has refused to discuss critical national issues. Key legislations are bulldozed through. Parliamentary committees have been bypassed,” the statement said.

The party alleges that the CAG has become irrelevant. The Election Commission’s integrity has been severely compromised. Serious questions about the integrity of the Assembly elections in some states have been ignored. Poll timings and phases are tailored to benefit the ruling party. The Commission has remained silent despite divisive rhetoric from the Prime Minister and senior BJP leaders.

Ramesh has also accused the government of destroying Centre-state relations. He said the BJP has used money power to engineer the fall of Opposition-led state governments, frequently buying over legislators. “The office of the Governor has been misused to block bills in opposition-ruled states and to interfere in university appointments. The Centre has bypassed constitutional fiscal arrangements by overusing cesses to deprive states of their rightful revenue share,” he said.

The Congress party has alleged that there has been a definite policy of quiet threats to the judiciary, primarily through delayed elevations, punitive transfers, post-retirement sinecures for pliant judges, and selective implementation of collegium recommendations.

Ramesh’s statement said there is rampant tax terrorism and intimidation of businesses and institutions. He said the fear of regulatory retaliation has had a chilling effect on previously outspoken business leaders.

While trying to reinforce the undeclared emergency claim, the Congress party has alleged that the media has come under unprecedented pressure and journalists and news outlets critical of the government have faced intimidation, arrests, and raids.

The party has also alleged that institutions such as the ED, CBI, and Income Tax Department have been deployed to harass and defame leaders of various opposition parties.

Jairam Ramesh alleged that government critics have been routinely vilified, hate and bigotry are deliberately spread by the ruling establishment, protesting farmers were labelled “Khalistanis”, and advocates of caste census were dismissed as “urban Naxals”.

“The killers of Mahatma Gandhi are glorified. Minorities live in fear of their lives and property. Dalits and other marginalised groups have been disproportionately targeted, and ministers making hate speeches have been rewarded with promotions,” the party alleges.

IANS