Democracy Being Strangulated By Modi Govt: Sonia Gandhi On Suspension Of Oppn MPs

Sonia Gandhi, who chaired the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting, said Oppn MPs were suspended for raising a perfectly reasonable and legitimate demand.

A day after 49 more Opposition Lok Sabha MPs were suspended, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday said democracy was being strangulated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, PTI reported. Chairing the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting, Gandhi also attacked PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for distorting history and twisting historical facts to defame patriots like Jawaharlal Nehru. 

"Never before have so many Opposition Members of Parliament been suspended from the house, and that too, simply for raising a perfectly reasonable and legitimate demand," the former Congress chief said.

The total suspensions in both houses of Parliament have touched 141 as the Winter session saw an uproar by the Opposition over the security breach inside Lok Sabha on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack. The unprecedented number of suspensions saw the I.N.D.I.A coalition announce nationwide anti-government protests on Friday.

Raking up the Parliament security breach issue, where two persons jumped from the visitors' gallery into the Lok Sabha chamber and opened smoke canisters, Gandhi said, "It took four days for the PM to address the nation and express his views on the incident, and he did so outside of the Parliament. By so doing, he clearly indicated his disdain for the dignity of the house and his disregard for the people of our country."

The veteran Conbress leader also hit out at PM Modi and Amit Shah for "running a relentless campaign" to defame India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Gandhi's remarks come days after Shah, while speaking in the Rajya Sabha, said Jammu and Kashmir suffered due to two "blunders" by Nehru -- announcing a ceasefire and taking the Kashmir issue to the United Nations.

"This session has seen the passage of some important Bills relating to Jammu & Kashmir. Those who distort history and twist historical facts just to defame great patriots like Jawaharlal Nehru have been running a relentless campaign. In these efforts, the Prime Minister and the Home Minister have taken the lead themselves, but we will not be intimidated or cowed down. We will persist in telling the truth," she said.

Sonia Gandhi On Assembly Polls Debacle

Asserting that the Congress was "facing enormous challenges" following the poll debacle in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi said the disappointment should be channelled into a positive drive for the coming Lok Sabha election.

"To say that the assembly election results in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have been very disappointing for our party is an understatement. The Congress President has already had a first round of reviews to understand the reasons for our poor performance and draw the needed lessons for our organisation. We are facing enormous challenges, yet I am confident that our fortitude and resilience will see us through," the CPP chairperson said.

The Congress failed to retain Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh while it bagged only 66 seats in Madhya Pradesh despite the BJP facing anti-incumbency. "Lok Sabha polls in few months. Have our tasks cut out both as party and as I.N.D.I.A group member," she further said.