Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Thursday called police action against party spokesperson Pawan Khera a new example of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's politics of "vendetta, harassment and intimidation." Hailing the apex court's grant of interim bail to Khera, Ramesh invoked the title of a Salman Khan film to say that the "Supreme Court Zinda Hai."
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was worried due to Congress's successful Bharat Jodo Yatra, and now it is scared of the 85th plenary session of the Grand Old Party which will start from Friday, he told reporters at the venue of the plenary session in Nava Raipur.
The BJP also tried to detail the plenary session, he alleged, referring to the Enforcement Directorate's recent raids on Congress leaders in Raipur, and Khera's detention on Thursday.
“Since the beginning of Bharat Jodo Yatra, the BJP was worried and out of frustration, its leaders targeted and made remarks against Rahul Gandhi. BJP is scared....the Enforcement Directorate's raid on Congress leaders in Raipur was an attempt to derail our plenary session,” he said.
“This morning, a new example of the Modi government's politics of vendetta, harassment and intimidation was witnessed when our media department head was deplaned....three FIRs were registered against him, including one in Assam. Whenever they (BJP) need to arrest any political opponents, the Assam Chief Minister (Himanta Biswa Sarma) becomes active.” He said.
Referring to the Supreme Court granting interim bail to Khera, Ramesh said it showed that "despite all the efforts of the Modi government the judiciary still remains a beacon for our democracy. Tiger Zinda Hai, Supreme Court Zinda Hai" (Tiger is still alive, Supreme Court is still alive).
Modi and his ministers have been visiting various cities against the backdrop of the G20 meet and hoardings with the message "India: Mother of Democracy" are being put up, but in reality "they are doing 'murder of democracy''', he said.
Freedom of speech is under threat, "but more importantly freedom after speech is also under threat," Ramesh quipped.
Claiming that only Adani Enterprises benefitted due to privatization carried out by the Modi government since 2014, Ramesh said, “Congress is in favour of entrepreneurship and liberalisation. There is also a need to encourage private companies. But we are against 'crony capitalism'”.
The party asked 45 questions in the last 15 days to the Modi government about its relationship with Gautam Adani but all remained unanswered, he said.
Talking about opposition unity, Ramesh said it would be strengthened when the Congress becomes strong.
Khera was on Thursday arrested by the Assam Police at the Delhi airport after he was deplaned from a Delhi-Raipur flight in connection with alleged derogatory remarks against the prime minister.
Khera had recently called him "Narendra Gautamdas Modi", in an apparent swipe over the row involving business tycoon Gautam Adani.
The prime minister's full name is Narendra Damodardas Modi, with the middle name standing for his father's name. The BJP accused the Congress spokesperson of insulting the prime minister.
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