BJP throttling democracy: Congress units to media
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, March 31 2023: As part of the Jai Bharat Satyagraha launched throughout the country by Congress party in protest against the recent conviction and disqualification of its leader Rahul Gandhi from the membership of Lok Sabha MP, district units of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee on Friday organised meetings and press conferences at different parts of the state highlighting alleged attempt by the BJP and government led by it to destroy democratic ethos in the country.

Briefing the media at the residence of former MLA T Manga Vaiphei, Churachandpur District Congress Committee (CDCC) president T Chongbiak condemned the mistreatment of Rahul Gand hi over his statement made in the Parliament on March 24.Terming it as undemocratic, the CDCC leader said the district committee will take up any step so as to deliver justice for Rahul Gandhi and to save democracy.

Chipping in, Manga Vaiphei said that Jai Bharat Satyagraha press conferences are being conducted at national, state and district levels in denunciation of the hasty manner in which disqualification process was initiated within 24 hours against Rahul Gandhi.

Meanwhile, H Mangchinkhup, who is PCC (1) member and former Congress candidate from Churachandpur AC, told media persons that Rahul Gandhi is against social polarisation, currency depreciation and is questioning why the country's entire wealth has gone to one or two persons only.

He then said that this is the hrst instance where a member of parliament has been convicted for two-year jail term and disqualified from the Lok Sabha for raising public voices in the parliament.

Mangchinkhup affirmed that the party will not be cowed but continue to protect democracy, adding that the complaint made in Gujarat is against the law and this type of blind accusation will not lead to any successes.

Condemning the jail term served to Rahul Gandhi, Mangchinkhup alleged that under the BJP regime there is division on the basis of caste and creed and personal rights of the people were violated.

He also reiterated the district unit's stand to take steps based on instructions by the state party authorities.

At Nambol Block Congress Committee office, MPCC general secretary Heisnam Meghachandra Mangangcha said that the manner in which Rahul Gandhi was convicted by a Surat court, disqualified him as MP and finally asked to vacate from his official bungalow is the most unfortunate thing BJP can do against the leader.

"It is an organised act to prevent Rahul Gandhi from coming to public platform.

Maintaining that Rahul Gandhi is a leader who ad-heres to the ideas of democracy and works for uplift of the downtrodden, Meghachandra said that what Rahul Gandhi had spoken in the Parliament was not against the BJP government but against those individuals who had looted public money for amassing personal wealth.

The Congress leader was speaking his heart out to save democracy and the constitution of India, said the general secretary and asserted that Congress party is all set to launch various forms of agitations if BJP does not take up measures to nail the plunderers and bring back money looted from the public.

Manipur Pradesh Mahila Congress general secretary Th Ethoibi Devi, Bishnupur District Congress Committee president Noor Rahaman and former president Kh Ranveer Singh were also present at the media briefing.

Meanwhile, MPCC work ing president and ex-MLA Md Fajur Rahim told media persons at Kakching DCC of fice that rights of the citizens to criticise the government enjoyed some time back is now no more.

Any person averse to BJP government's policies lands in police custody, he said.

Fajur Rahim also pointed out that Surat MLA Purmesh Modi had filed a case against Rahul Gandhi for raising posers on Gautam Adani in the Parliament.

Though, Purmesh Modi planned to withdraw the case, the Surat court hastily announced its verdict fearing that the allegations of fraud and manipulation made by Hindenburg Research against Adani's companies would be brought up in the Lok Sabha, he claimed.

Stating that it is natural for the opposition and the ruling to shout and throw tantrums at each other inside the Parliament as it is the very essence of democracy, Md Fajur Rahim said that if the government is going to arrest and imprison every individual who speaks up against the government; then none of the MLAs and MPS will ever speak up inside the Parliament.

Under such a situation, there is no future of democracy in India, he said and added that all allegations levelled against Rahul Gandhi are baseless.

Kakching DCC president A Rahman Cheshaba, BCC president Nongmaithem Ashok and BBC Wabagai president Md Abdul Salam were also present during the press conference.

On the other hand, Thoubal District Block Congress Committee said that verdict of the Surat court in convicting Rahul Gandhi to 2 years imprisonment and the sub sequent disqualification is against democracy.

Speaking to reporters at the Block office, Khangabok MLA O Surjakumar contended that the act against Rahul Gandhi is unprecedented and condemnable in the strongest term.

In this era of fascism, Congress workers will stand firm to save democracy and sup port Rahul Gandhi, he said, flanked by former Congress candidate Syed Anwar Hussain and MPCC spokesperson Md Rabi Khan.

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