Patna, Oct 28 Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Wednesday led a foot march in Patna, asserting that the BJP will counter the “false narrative” peddled by the Congress-led opposition against democratic institutions.
The ‘Loktantra Bachao – Arajakta Hatao’ (Save Democracy – Remove Anarchy) march started from Kargil Chowk near Patna’s Gandhi Maidan and covered a distance of around one km.
Addressing a gathering before the march, Choudhary said, “An attempt is being made to weaken the BJP-led government at the Centre, spread anarchy and hooliganism across the country. However, these efforts are bound to fail as the country’s leadership rests in the able hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.”
He said the BJP was holding the yatra as part of a nationwide programme to safeguard democratic institutions.
Choudhary also criticised Congress leaders for allegedly making objectionable remarks targeting the prime minister.
“They are now openly abusing PM Modi’s mother and father. If it had been a monarchy, they would have landed in jail, but this is a democracy. People, especially the youth, need to know who is saving democracy and who is looting it,” the CM asserted.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had recently sparked a controversy when he said “Modi ka baap bhi jayega” in response to an audience member’s comment that “the PM will not go anywhere”, during an event in Patna.
The remarks led to a barrage of criticism from the BJP and its allies.
“During earlier Congress-led regimes, booth capturing was common, misuse of power rampant, and there were instance of use of government vehicles for campaigning… After the Allahabad High Court annulled her election, Indira Gandhi imposed emergency (in 1975), which was a black chapter of Indian democracy,” Choudhary asserted.
Bihar minister Dilip Jaiswal told PTI Videos in Patna that attempts were underway “to orchestrate a regime change and spread anarchy in connivance with foreign powers”.
“Today, we are holding a ‘pratikar padayatra’ (retaliatory march) to give a message to the forces desperate for power that the country will operate under a democratic system,” he said.
Meanwhile, reacting to the march, Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav asserted that those who “crush democracy” were carrying out a “fabricated exercise in the name of democracy”.
“Anyone who joins the BJP is supposedly cleansed of all wrongdoing, while those who do not join it face action by the ED and the CBI,” the RJD leader alleged.
(PTI News)
