New Delhi, Oct 30 Participants took on the roles of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other political leaders at a mock parliament in Delhi on Friday, debating electoral integrity and allegations of ‘vote theft’.
Organised by civil rights group ‘Citizens for Democracy’ at the NDMC Convention Centre, the event, themed ‘Democracy vs Anarchy’, sought to recreate parliamentary proceedings, with participants assuming the identities of leaders from the ruling party and the opposition and engaging in arguments on contemporary political and constitutional issues.
The proceedings began with a recreation of the entry of the prime minister into Parliament, as participants raised ‘Modi, Modi’ slogans. The gathering also chanted ‘Vande Mataram’ before discussing the functioning of democracy and the accountability of elected representatives.
The SIR exercise, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the role of the Election Commission and ‘vote chori’ allegations featured prominently in the discussions, alongside questions on the independence of democratic institutions, parliamentary decorum and transparency in the electoral process.
Participants portraying opposition leaders raised slogans, including ‘Vote chori nahi chalegi’, and demanded accountability from the ruling side. Those representing the government countered the allegations and presented arguments on the functioning of democratic institutions and the need to uphold the electoral process.
During an exchange, a participant portraying a leader from the ruling side said democracy functioned on three pillars: ‘saboot’ (evidence), Parliament and the ballot box.
The participants were seated in a Parliament-like arrangement, with nameplates identifying the political leaders they were portraying, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Amit Shah and others.
The venue was also designed to resemble the interiors of the Parliament House, with an elaborate Parliament-themed setup.
A participant portraying Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said the initiative was intended to familiarise young people with Parliament and give them a better understanding of how the country’s parliamentary system functions.
Another participant, portraying BJP national president Nitin Nabin, said the exercise sought to convey that attempts to destabilise an elected government through street protests and unrest would not be tolerated.
The discussions also touched upon the role of protests in a democracy, parliamentary accountability and the responsibilities of political parties in upholding democratic institutions. Participants portraying leaders from both sides presented contrasting positions through questions, arguments and counter-arguments.
The event comes ahead of the INDIA bloc’s November 1 rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan against alleged electoral irregularities and the SIR exercise. The opposition alliance is also scheduled to hold a proposed ‘public impeachment’ of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence on Friday.
Posters announcing the mock parliament, titled ‘Voice of Today’s Youth’, had been put up at several locations across the national capital.
(PTI News)
