Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the Narendra Modi government would crumble the moment India’s youth understood the truth and Pegasus was a weapon to ensure that didn’t happen easily.
Arguing that the purpose of surveillance was to suppress the truth, the Congress leader said: “The day India’s youth understands the truth, starts raising this truth, the Narendra Modi government will fall apart. Pegasus is a weapon to suppress the truth. They haven’t put it only in my phone. Every youth is targeted. It is a conspiracy to ensure the truth doesn’t come out. If you speak the truth, Modi is in your phone through Pegasus.”
Rahul was speaking at a Youth Congress rally that had been organised as part of “Parliament gherao” to protest the alleged snooping, farm laws, unemployment and the economic mess.
Youth Congress activists protest against the alleged Pegasus surveillance, new farm laws and the economic mess. Prem Singh
A police crackdown had started from Wednesday evening itself. Buses were stopped from entering the national capital and Youth Congress workers were evicted from hotels. Despite massive mobilisation, the protesters were prevented from moving towards Parliament. Mild force and water cannons were used to disperse the marching crowds.
Many senior Congress leaders addressed the rally, which is being seen as the biggest post-Covid protest against the government in the capital.
Rahul said: “The whole focus of the Modi government is to hide the truth. In Parliament, Opposition leaders are protesting with placards, but that will not be shown on TV. Only BJP MPs speaking is shown on Lok Sabha TV. People won’t be shown the truth. Mediapersons are here. Ask them whether they have the freedom to show the truth. Do they talk about unemployment?”
Police use water cannons to disperse the protesters. Prem Singh
Referring to the distress all around, he said: “Farmers are suppressed, youth is suppressed, small businesses are suppressed. It is a ‘hum do-hamare do’ government. This is the reason India is unable to create jobs. And there won’t be jobs as long as Modi is there because his partnership is with two-three corporate houses. His partnership is not with the youth, farmers, the poor, small and medium businesses, workers.”
The former Congress president added: “Unemployment is the biggest issue today. But the Prime Minister will talk about every issue except unemployment. He promised 2 crore jobs every year, but millions of existing jobs are being snatched every month. This happens because Modi works for only two-three corporate houses.”
Rahul asked the Youth Congress to open its doors to the disgruntled youth who are not getting jobs and promised to stand with them in their fight for employment.
Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, later told the media: “We want a discussion (on Pegasus) in Parliament, but the government is running away. They don’t allow us to speak on farmers, on snooping and pass 10 bills in one hour. Is this democracy?”
