Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K.S. Alagiri on Sunday alleged that there would be no democrat left in the country if the BJP punished political leaders and activists in a manner similar to the way it ensured the disqualification of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha.
He told reporters at the Sathyamurthy Bhavan here that what was done to Mr. Gandhi was extreme punishment and claimed that the BJP government planned it deliberately to muzzle the voice of the Opposition. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi is under no compulsion to respond to the allegations if they are raised outside Parliament. If a similar issue is raised inside the House, either he or the Finance Minister has to reply. The government has ensured the disqualification of Mr. Rahul Gandhi to prevent him from raising vital issues.”
Mr. Alagiri said the Congress was not against the Union government extending a helping hand to corporate houses. “Of course, India’s economy is a mixed economy since the days of Jawaharlal Nehru. The Congress government also helped corporate houses and public sector organisations. But what the present government is doing is benefiting a particular corporate house owned by Adani,” he said.
According to him, what was not made available to the TATAs, Birlas, Goenkas, and the TVS Group, was “being given on a platter” to the Adani group.
The Congress leader said black flag protests were organised in Chennai on Saturday by his party not to target Mr. Modi, the individual, “but the policies of his government”. He added: “We oppose his ideology, politics and anti-democratic attitude that is inching towards an autocratic regime.”
Notice over remarks
Meanwhile, Mr. Alagiri issued a notice to the party’s Dindigul Congress Committee president D. Manikandan, asking him to explain why he made certain remarks contrary to the party’s policies at a protest meeting. Mr. Manikandan had reportedly said he would cut off the tongue of the Surat judge, who had convicted Mr. Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case and sentenced him to two years imprisonment due to which he was disqualified as Wayanad MP.
