‘Modi’s guarantee’ slogan sign of India inching towards dictatorship: Mallikarjun Kharge

‘Modi’s guarantee’ slogan sign of India inching towards dictatorship: Mallikarjun Kharge

All India Congress Committee president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday objected to the BJP’s slogan ‘Modi Ki Guarantee’ and said it was a sign of Indian democracy inching towards dictatorship.

Speaking at the ‘Constitution and National Unity Convention’ organised by the Karnataka Social Welfare Department, Kharge asked how it could be called Modi’s guarantee when the people funded it. “We pay taxes. It is the guarantee of the people. It is not Modi’s guarantee,” he said, adding that it could even be called the guarantee of the Government of India. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a habit of saying ‘Mein, Mein (I, I)’. This is a sign of (India) moving towards dictatorship,” he said.

Kharge said that in countries where people fight for their rights, democracy has survived. “If rights are ignored, then dictatorship will be imminent,” the Congress leader said.

Raising concerns over alleged widespread horse trading helping the BJP in polls, he said such actions were hurting the Indian Constitution and democracy. “When a party forms a majority, MLAs are bought off. Such experiments have taken place in Karnataka, Manipur, Goa and Uttarakhand,” he said, accusing the BJP of threatening people to shift camps.

Quoting Babasaheb Ambedkar, he said India had lost independence several times. “Ambedkar has warned us that we have lost independence several times in the past, and if we lose it again, we cannot win it back. We have to guard against this resolutely,” he said.

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah said that the Election Commission of India should take note of the violations in the electoral process to ensure that people get free and fair elections. “Otherwise, a time will come when there will be nothing like the Constitution or the diversity we enjoy,” he said.

CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said the BJP had plans to replace the “secular democracy of India” with a “fascist Hindutva” state as envisioned by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. They want a government based on Manusmriti, which will worsen caste oppression in the country, he said.

For the latest news from across India, Political updates, Explainers, Sports News, Opinion, Entertainment Updates and more Top News, visit Indian Express. Subscribe to our award-winning Newsletter Download our App here Android & iOS