Democracy going through one of the darkest hours under Modi govt: Rahul at CWC

The govt is lobbying with states via informal channels to deny work under MGNREGA to the very poor, Gandhi said

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Monday hit out at the Narendra Modi government saying that the democracy is going through one of the darkest hours under the present government.

Chairing the crucial Congress Working Committee meet, Gandhi said, "Democracy under the present dispensation is going through one of the darkest hours. Attempts by the government to suppress freedom by "abusing" state power will only strengthen our resolve to defeat such dangerous designs."

He also raised the issue of his detention last week following his attempt to meet the family of ex-serviceman Ram Kishan Grewal, who committed suicide, and for raising the issue of One Rank One Pension.

 

"The opposition is being "arrested" for holding the government to account," he said.

Gandhi was detained thrice in two days and was released in a few hours.

Asking partymen to be cautious of Modi government's devious and casteist strategies ahead of the assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Gandhi said, "With state elections due in the coming months we can safely expect the Modi government to launch a campaign of disinformation and polarisation. They will exploit caste and religious fault lines. We must anticipate and neutralise such devious strategies."

Highlighting the ban on NDTV India for a day, Gandhi said TV channels are "punished" and asked to shut down.

"Modi government is obsessed with power, it seeks to silence all those who disagree. Asking questions is what discomforts this government the most, for they have no answers," Gandhi said.

Lashing out at the government for instructing states to cut back work for MNREGA, Gandhi said, "The Modi government is lobbying with states via informal channels to deny work under MGNREGA to the very poor."

Also read: Govt uses off-record WhatsApp, instructing states to cut back work for MNREGA

The CWC meeting assumes significant as the Winter Session of Parliament is starting from November 16 and the Congress will finalise its strategy for the session at this meeting.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi did not attend the meet owing to her ill health.

The much anticipated elevation of Gandhi is likely to be delayed as the Congress top brass is expected to further defer the process of organisational polls, which had been postponed earlier by a year till this December-end.