Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday lashed out at the Narendra Modi government at the Centre for creating an atmosphere of “hatred and suspicion” and said the Congress-led governments had made an immense contribution in the past for infrastructure development, giving the country the pride of place in the 21st century.
Addressing the State-level Independence Day function after hoisting the national flag at Sawai Man Singh Stadium here, Mr. Gehlot said though the national economy was in a bad shape because of the Modi government’s faulty policies, an impression was being created that every development in the country had happened only after 2014 when Prime Minister Mr. Modi was elected to power.
“The atmosphere of peace, brotherhood and social harmony was built up through democratic traditions laid down by visionary leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. In contrast, the country is today facing serious challenges of terrorism, communalism, separatism and Naxalism,” Mr. Gehlot said.
He said all the State governments were worried about the declining economy which would affect the development projects and lead to deterioration in the quality of life of their citizens.
‘RTI Act diluted’
It was the UPA government which had given the right to food security, education, information and employment to the people by enacting legislations, while the Modi government had diluted the RTI Act, he said.
Mr. Gehlot also cited the example of Pakistan, where democracy had been murdered several times by the imposition of martial law.
He said democracy in India had taken strong roots after Independence because of the selfless work of leaders like Nehru, B.R. Ambedkar, Vallabhbhai Patel and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
