Congress MP Adhir Chowdhary raps Modi’s policies

Congress leader Adhir Chaudhary accused the Union government of creating a “Hindu raj”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present in the House when the MP questioned the government on multiple issues.

He was speaking in the debate on Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address in the Lok Sabha.

He accused the government of trying to erase the memory of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by merging the flame of Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate with that of the National War Memorial. 

Taking a jibe at the centre, he accused the government of “breaking” institutions for personal gains and said taxpayers’ money was used to buy the Pegasus spyware for surveillance.

The New York Times had reported earlier that the government bought Pegasus spyware from Israel in 2017 as part of a $2 billion defence deal.

The Congress MP targeted the government’s functioning and governance record: “You have added new adjectives with democracy — ethnic democracy and electoral democracy — to transform India into a Hindu Raj. The BJPs populist politics and promises made to the poor during the election campaign did not translate into policies.”

The Congress leader said the government should stick to their words. He said the centre shouldn’t just celebrate the various dates associated with religious icons and personalities but also imbibe their teachings.

He accused the government of distorting history. He alleged that “bogus depiction” of history was confusing the people and said, “all Muslims should not be equated with Aurangzeb and all Hindus with Jaichand”.

“We need to constitute India into a sovereign, socialist, secular democratic Republic… Some people believe Hindus are in danger; some believe Muslims are in danger… You take off the glasses of religion and you will realise…(that) India is in danger,” Chowdhury said.

Reacting to Modi’s comment on former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as “Maun Mohan Singh”, Chowdhury said that Modi has spoken on fewer occasions in the House than former PMs Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh.

Citing media reports, including American Defence Agency Pentagon’s, Chowdhury accused the centre of failure to admit the incursion by Chinese troops into Indian territory.

“Don’t we have the right to know what China has done to Indian territory,” he asked. “Eighteen friction points still exist. These junctions can directly influence Indian movement on roads.”

“China has been trying to break India,” Chowdhury said. 

He accused Modi of creating a “toxic cocktail of Hindutva with populism”. Quoting Swami Vivekanand and Birsa Munda, Chowdhury said the government should take everyone along.

“Communal harmony leads to peaceful existence”, he added.