New Delhi: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra launched a sharp attack on the Centre on Saturday after Delhi Police moved to prevent demonstrators from assembling at Jantar Mantar, alleging that India had ceased to be a democracy and was instead being governed as a “dictatorship” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
The Congress general secretary further claimed that anyone assisting in the alleged subversion of democratic institutions was guilty of treason against the country.
“First they rough up 254 MPs and detain them completely illegally, infringing on their basic constitutional rights; they do the same to other protesters from Opposition parties, Priyanka Gandhi said.
“Then they lay siege to the national capital, barricading it and sealing it on all sides, stopping trains and metros, cutting the internet and placing check posts all over. They bash up and detain young men and women exercising their constitutional right to protest,” she said.
“If this isn’t proof that they have cheated the elections in collusion with the Election Commission, and are terrified that the illegitimacy of their government is being exposed and accountability is being demanded, then what is?” she said.
“India is not a democracy anymore. It is a dictatorship being run by Mr Narendra Modi and Mr Amit Shah,” she reiterated.
Capital Under Sweeping Security Cordon
Delhi was placed under an unprecedented security blanket on Saturday as police carried out coordinated detentions to stop participants from reaching Jantar Mantar, as reported by The New Indian Express. CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee and close to 500 protesters were taken into custody, thwarting the planned demonstration.
The Opposition described the police action as “worse than the Emergency.”
Dipke, along with fellow CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, was detained from within the aircraft immediately after their Mumbai-Delhi flight landed in the national capital. The three had travelled to Delhi to spearhead the protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Opposition Leaders Among Those Held
TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, ex-Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and CPM MP John Brittas were also detained amid the crackdown.