New Delhi: Slamming the BJP-led government at the Centre, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said there is no freedom of speech in the country.
Addressing a rally in Jharkhand's Sahebganj district, Kharge expressed anguish and alleged that parts of his speech in the Parliament were expunged.
"There is neither freedom of speech inside Parliament, nor outside...Those who dare to speak up are put behind bars," news agency PTI quoted him as saying.
Taking a dig at the BJP over rising inflation, Kharge said that the saffron party came to power in 2014 with the promise to check inflation, but the price of essential commodities and poverty are on the rise ever since it came to power.
The Congress chief further said that it was the grand old party which developed the infrastructure of the country and fought for India's freedom.
“A man whose wealth was Rs 1 Lakh crore in 2019, in 2.5 years, it became Rs 13 lakh crore. Entire nation’s wealth gone into one hand. We raised this issue in Parliament. Instead of giving answers, they (govt) called it unparliamentary,” Kharge said.
Earlier on Friday, Kharge said Congress will keep raising the Adani issue and if the government does not work democratically, "people will get rid of it".
"Why is the Modi government not conducting a joint parliamentary committee probe into the allegations against the Adani Group? What is the reason behind (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji and his government not even allowing (anyone) to raise the word Adani in Parliament?" PTI quoted Kharge as saying.
Notably, the Congress president was speaking at Gumani Ground in Pakur after launching the party's 60-day 'Haath Se Haath Jodo' mass outreach programme in the state.
During the programme, the party workers will conduct door-to-door visits to make people aware of the Centre's policies, which they claim are "anti-people".
Congress general secretary Avinash Pandey, state Congress president Rajesh Thakur and state minister Alamgir Alam were among the leaders present at the rally in Jharkhand.