New Delhi: Stepping up its attack on the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said his party will give a befitting reply if anyone attempts to ‘crush’ them , and will continue to fight to “protect the democracy”.
“BJP government and Narendra Modi ji is thinking that we are ‘weak’. If someone tries to ‘crush’ us with arrogance, then we will give a befitting reply.We will continue to fight to protect the democracy, constitution, and freedom of speech and expression,” Kharge said while addressing the party’s ‘Sankalp Satyagraha’, organised at Raj Ghat here over disqualification of its former chief Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha as a member.
Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress president said, “Try all your efforts to ‘bury’ us. But, you can’t crush us. If you are a ‘patriot’ , why don’t you send them (Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi) to jail who looted the people of the country.”
Defending former Congress chief over his Modi surname” remarks at a rally in Karnataka’s Kolar in 2019, Kharge said, “The remarks made in Kolar was during election. It was not to insult anyone. But, they registered a case in Surat (Gujarat) to stop Rahul Gandhi from speaking the truth.”
“Many such speeches were made by Modi. He used ‘wrong’ words against Gandhi family and Congress,” he claimed.
Kharge added, “Rahul Gandhi ji is fighting for the people of this country, for you, for the women and for the youth. He is fighting against unemployment and inflation.”
Talking about the ‘Sankalp Satyagraha’, the Congress chief said, “Today’s ‘satyagraha’ is from 10 am to 5 pm. We will organise such ‘satyagraha’ across the country (over Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification).”
Kharge also expressed his gratitude to the Opposition parties for extending their support to the former party chief.
“I am happy that all the Opposition parties unitedly stood with Rahul Gandhi. I express my gratitude to them,” he said.
The former Congress president was disqualified from Lok Sabha as a member on Friday, a day after he was convicted in a defamation case by a court in Gujarat’s Surat on Thursday for his alleged “all thieves have Modi surname” remarks at a rally in Karnataka’s Kolar in 2019.
In her address, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused the ruling dispensation of protecting billionaire businessman Gautam Adani.
“Why does this government, its ministers and MPs are trying to save one man ? What is in this Adani ? Thousands of crores are in his shell companies. But there is no probe,” Vadra said, attacking the BJP.
Several Opposition parties including Congress have been demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Hindenburg Research report over Adani Group.
The Hindenburg Research report alleged that Adani Group had engaged in stock manipulation and accounting fraud schemes over the course of decades.
She added, “My martyr father was insulted in Parliament. The son of the martyrs was called ‘Mir Jafar’. PM raises questions on ‘Nehru’ surname. But, there is no case against him.”
“Rahul Gandhi ji always expresses our feelings and voices our concerns. He speaks up for our rights, women, the unemployed, farmers, the poor and minorities. He is a true leader,” said MP Jothimani in her address.
UNI
