Undeclared Emergency: Cong says democracy under '5-fold assault' under Modi govt

In a scathing attack on the Modi government the Congress on Wednesday alleged that over the past eleven years Indian democracy has been under a systematic and dangerous fivefold assault that can be best described as Undeclared Emergency11 reported news agency PTIWith the BJP in an allout attack mode on the Congress on the 50th anniversary of the imposition of the Emergency by the then Indira Gandhi government the Congress launched a counteroffensive and alleged that the government was weakening Parliament and eroding the autonomy of Constitutional bodiesThe opposition party also claimed that there has been unbridled hate speech and crackdown on civil libertiesIn a statement Congress general secretary incharge communications Jairam Ramesh alleged that government critics have been routinely vilified hate and bigotry are deliberately spread by the ruling establishment protesting farmers were labelled Khalistanis and advocates of caste census were dismissed as urban Naxals reported PTIThe killers of Mahatma Gandhi are glorified Minorities live in fear for their lives and property Dalits and other marginalised groups have been disproportionately targeted and ministers making hate speeches have been rewarded with promotions he claimedHis remarks came on a day when the government is marking Samvidhan Hatya Diwas on the anniversary of the imposition of EmergencyIn his statement Ramesh said Over the past eleven years and thirty days Indian democracy has been under a systematic and dangerous fivefold assault that can be best described as Undeclared Emergency11 reported PTIBesides unbridled hate speech and crackdown on civil liberties he also cited alleged attacks on the Constitution tax terrorism and intimidation of businesses and institutions control over the media and misuse of investigative agencies to claim that an undeclared emergency was in placeClaiming that attacks were being launched on the Constitution Ramesh claimed that during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections the prime minister sought a 400 Paar mandate for a new Constitution and to betray Babasaheb Ambedkars legacyThe people of India denied him that mandate They voted for preserving protecting and further promoting economic social and political justice enshrined in the existing Constitution the Congress general secretary saidHe also alleged that the Modi government was weakening Parliament and has consistently shredded parliamentary normsMPs have been arbitrarily suspended merely for raising issues of public concern and the government has refused to discuss critical national issues he saidKey legislations are bulldozed through Parliamentary committees have been bypassed he addedRamesh also accused the government of eroding autonomy of Constitutional bodiesThe CAG has become irrelevant The Election Commissions integrity has been severely compromised Serious questions about the integrity of the assembly elections in some states have been ignored Poll timings and phases are tailored to benefit the ruling party The Commission has remained silent in the face of divisive rhetoric from the Prime Minister and senior BJP leaders he alleged reported PTIThe Congress leader further alleged that Centrestate relations have been destroyed and the BJP has used money power to engineer the fall of Oppositionled state governments frequently buying over legislatorsThe office of the Governor has been misused to block bills in oppositionruled states and to interfere in university appointments The Centre has bypassed constitutional fiscal arrangements by overusing cesses to deprive states of their rightful revenue share he saidRamesh also accused the government of damaging judiciary and said there has been a definite policy of quiet threats to the judiciary primarily through delayed elevations punitive transfers postretirement sinecures for pliant judges and selective implementation of collegium recommendationsAlleging tax terrorism and intimidation of businesses and institutions Ramesh said the fear of regulatory retaliation has had a chilling effect on previously outspoken business leadersInvestigative agencies have been weaponised to patronise a favourite business group Major assets including airports ports cement plants and even media houses have been handed over to this group Ramesh alleged reported PTIHe also claimed that prominent educational institutions have faced arbitrary tax demands Around 20000 independent civil society voices have been silenced he claimedRamesh further claimed that the media has come under unprecedented pressure with journalists and news outlets critical of the government facing intimidation arrests and raidsOwners are pressured to hire governmentfriendly journalists and government advertising and permits are used as tools to control editorial content Taxpayerfunded state broadcasters have been reduced to trolling the Opposition and pushing divisive narratives he said in his statement reported PTIThe Right to Information a powerful tool in the hands of the powerless has been neutered Ramesh allegedAlleging rampant misuse of investigative agencies Ramesh claimed that institutions such as the ED CBI and Income Tax Department have been deployed to harass and defame leaders of various opposition partiesInvestigative agencies were used to facilitate the illegal collection of Rs 8000 crores in Electoral Bonds for the BJP he saidThose who switch parties and join the BJP automatically become EDmukt and CBImukt Ramesh claimedWith inputs from PTI