Democracy died only once, says BJP after Sonia Gandhi’s editorial

In an editorial published by a leading national daily on Tuesday, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party. She accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government of “systematically dismantling all three pillars of India’s democracy” and warned the ruling party that “enforcing silence cannot solve India’s problems” with an eye on the 2024 general election.

The ex-Congress chief addressed a variety of issues, including the disqualification of party MP Rahul Gandhi and the political squabble over the Adani-Hindenburg crisis, which sparked fervent opposition protests and effectively halted the second half of Parliament’s Budget session.

She also accused the government of using “unprecedented measures” such as “expunging speeches.”

“We have witnessed the prime minister and his government systematically dismantling all three pillars of India’s democracy – the legislature, the executive and the judiciary – with their actions demonstrating a deep-rooted disdain for democracy and democratic accountability.”

Sonia Gandhi began by referring to a ‘government-led strategy to disrupt Parliament and prevent the Opposition from raising grave concerns… such as unemployment, inflation…’

Sonia Gandhi claimed that, “… his statements – when not venting anger at the opposition or blaming past leaders for today’s ills – either ignore the most vital issues… or are verbal gymnastics to gloss over or distract from these issues.”

The editorial was endorsed by the Congress, with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge calling it a “thought-provoking indictment of the Modi government.”

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