The Congress today hit out at the central government over removal of war veterans who were protesting at Jantar Mantar, alleging that crushing dissent has become the "hallmark" of the ruling BJP.
Congress spokesperson Tam Vadakkan claimed the government enforced its will under the garb of the order of the National Green Tribunal.
He alleged that the mask of nationalism has "peeled off" yet again yesterday when the government used Delhi police to "forcibly evict" peaceful ex-servicemen, war veterans and war widows from Jantar Mantar.
"Crushing dissent, strangulating voices and silencing democracy has become the chief hallmark of the BJP. It is high time that the Modi Government realises its constitutional and democratic duties," he told reporters.
The Congress leader said it is not a coincidence that this "anti-democratic" development has happened under the Narendra Modi government and alleged that even the Union Cabinet, senior Ministers and members of Parliament "have no voice".
"Though the government enforced its will under the garb of an order by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the country knows the real reason for the alacrity with which the iconic protest site was cleaned up yesterday," he told reporters.
The Congress leader said the country will analyse whether "noise pollution at Jantar Mantar was a bigger threat to environment than this government's intolerance to democracy".
"We believe addressing environmental concerns cannot be in conflict with the fundamental tenets of the peoples democratic rights," he said.
Taking on the prime minister, he said Modi celebrates Diwali with Army men but "commits gross injustice" with the same people just after the festival.
The "crackdown" at Jantar Mantar is an "assault" on the ordinary peoples rights to protest and express their dissent against the Government, he alleged.
He alleged that the government did nothing to address the grievances of ex-servicemen on "One Rank One Pension".
Vadakkan said in a democracy, nothing can override people's freedom to freely express their opinion and Jantar Mantar due to its strategic location in the heart of national capital and next to Parliament, accorded significance and power to people's voices.
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