Mohali: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre of curbing the freedom of the press and other vital institutions like Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Supreme Court.
“Ever since the BJP came to power at the Centre, the press is not being allowed to work freely. If you see the press today, you will notice how the front pages of newspapers are filled with weddings, cricket, and so on. You can seldom read about the plight of farmers, youth. This is not only about national newspapers. In every state, the media has been captured,” he said while speaking at an event here.
Further sharpening his attack, Rahul said, “All vital institutions have been encroached upon by the BJP government under Prime Minister Modi. The Supreme Court is not allowed to function independently. The army is used for political gains. BJP ministers are also threatened. All this will be stopped in 2019.”
Gandhi claimed the entire opposition is against the attack on institutions. “Each and every institution across the country is being attacked. Congress and the opposition parties are against these attacks. In 2019, we will stop these attacks by removing the BJP from power at the Centre,” Rahul said.
Talking about the aim of his party for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2019, Gandhi said, “Defeating BJP in elections is not our ultimate goal. Our ultimate goal is to solve farmers’ crisis and the employment crisis. Farmers are not included in the BJP’s vision. Without farmers, this country cannot progress.”
Accusing the Central government of not being able to create sufficient employment for the youth of the nation, Rahul said, “The anger of our nation is rising. This anger is used by the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for their political gains. But the main reason for this anger is unemployment.”
In a direct attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul said, “Our Prime Minister during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime worked with love, humility, and respect. Dr Manmohan Singh governed this country with love, respect, and humility. He taught many Presidents and Prime Ministers on international platforms about how to work.”
Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who too was present on the occasion, spoke on the similar lines. “Congress has played a crucial role in India’s independence. But, in the last four years the way the current government has fiddled with history has once again put the nation under a blanket of fear and is also a threat to the freedom of the nation,” Singh said.
[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]