New Delhi, Oct 16 (PTI) The Congress on Friday hit back at the BJP over its “regime change” charge, saying the ruling party needs to be reminded of former president Pranab Mukherjee’s statement that the job of the opposition in a democracy is to oppose, expose and depose.
The opposition party said it categorically rejects any unconstitutional seizure of power as it believes in peaceful democratic mobilisation, constitutional institutions, free and fair elections and the sovereign will of the Indian people.
The Congress assertion came after Union Minister Rajnath Singh lashed out at the opposition party and its allies over protests in the national capital, accusing them of seeking a regime change along the lines of Bangladesh and using the energy of youth to spread “anarchy”.
Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, Singh asserted that democracy does not give anyone the licence to create disorder or undermine the credibility of constitutional institutions.
Hitting back at Singh, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, “The Defence Minister needs to be reminded of what the former President Pranab Mukherjee, who was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2019, would often say: the job of the Opposition in a democracy is to oppose, expose and depose.”
Addressing a press conference here, Congress media and publicity head Pawan Khera said his party had been raising its voice against the RSS ideology for the past 100 years.
“Whenever anyone asks a question from the Modi government, instead of answering that question, they make counter-accusations and start plotting conspiracies against those who raise the question. Today, the entire country wants to know why is Gyanesh Kumar not being removed from his post? Why is the Modi government not ready to remove him?” Khera said.
The narrative of the Modi government has become clear to the entire country that it only talks about the past and the future, he said.
“The RSS has seized the system in such a way that it has stamped its organisation everywhere, including universities, the Election Commission, bureaucracy, and so on.
“This is called a regime, which we are talking about changing and we will change it. When a non-registered organisation has entrenched itself like a snake over the entire system, we will not wag our tails and play opposition,” he said.
The BJP government, by the way it is handing out certificates of ‘dimagi Naxal’, ‘anti-national’, and ‘leftist’ to people, shows its anger, he said.
“This anger shows that this is a scared government, which is now on its way out. The Modi government has realised that its narrative and system have slipped out of its hands, and their true colours have been exposed in front of the country,” Khera said.
“Former President and senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee had said a good thing – ‘It is the Opposition’s duty to oppose, expose and if possible depose.’ This statement does not sit well with our anti-Constitution Narendra Modi and his entire cabinet. They think this is downright anti-national,” Khera said.
People who protect the country and democracy will say the same thing that they want to change this system, he said.
“We have launched a campaign ‘vote chor — gaddi chhorh’. The entire country is openly saying this too. We have to defeat this ‘vote chor’ government, change the system. Changing the regime through elections is part of democracy, but Rajnath Singh and BJP leaders are upset about it, because they are not used to democracy,” Khera said.
The Congress party categorically rejects any unconstitutional seizure of power, he said.
“We believe in peaceful democratic mobilisation, constitutional institutions, free and fair elections and the sovereign will of the Indian people. Questioning an Election Commissioner is not an assault on the Election Commission. Demanding electoral reforms is not an attack on democracy. Seeking the democratic replacement of a government is not a coup,” Khera said.
“India is not a one-party State. No Prime Minister enjoys a permanent mandate. No government is above scrutiny, and no political party can claim ownership of the Constitution. Governments come and go. The Constitution endures. The people alone are sovereign,” he said.
In his remarks, the defence minister said that it appears that the Congress and its political allies, directly and through their supporting organisations, are trying to use the energy of the youth to fuel political confrontation and spread anarchy instead of channelling it towards constructive work and nation-building.
“The youth of the country are being made pawns in the politics of anarchy,” he stated.
Singh alleged that the Congress and its allies want a change of government in India along the lines of Bangladesh.
