Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday suggested that secular, liberal, and democratic values are being undermined in the country and “forces of darkness” are raising their heads.
Addressing the lok Sabha after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement, Sonia said there is a feeling that the “clouds of the politics of division and hate” are hovering over the plural and egalitarian values enshrined in the Constitution.
“Are forces of darkness destroying democracy and foundation of democracyIJ asked Sonia as she spoke in Hindi and referred to the first Prime Minister of the country Jawaharlal Nehru and his contribution to the freedom movement.
“It seems secular, democratic and liberal values are being endangered. The public space for debate and difference of opinion is shrinking,” said Sonia, adding, “Is there a fear about the existence of a sense of freedomIJ Are attempts being made to destroy roots of democracy which is based on equality, social justice, law-based system and freedom of expression.”
The PM listened to the Congress president’s address as treasury benches also paid attention to her in silence, barring BJP MP Kirron Kher.
She went on to say that some organisations and people did not contribute to the freedom movement and said Nehru spent the longest time in the jail. “We should not forget that there were people and organisations which had opposed the Quit India movement and had played no role in getting our country freedom,” she said.
Kher shouted “travesty, travesty”, as the Congress leader reeled off her speech.
“People have to fight for the India they believe in, which is loved by one and all and which was envisioned by the freedom fighters,” Sonia said.
“We can and will not allow the idea of India to be a prisoner to narrow mindedness, divisive and communal ideology. If we have to preserve freedom, we will have to defeat the forces endangering it. We can’t and we won’t allow sectarian forces to succeed,” said the Congress president, asking people to defeat such “repressive” forces.