Jamshedpur, Oct 13 Senior Jharkhand BJP leader Babulal Marandi on Tuesday slammed the Congress for organising demonstrations under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi in parts of the country when people are celebrating the Navratri festival.
The out-of-power Congress seeks to create a chaotic situation, cast doubt on the credibility of constitutional institutions and weaken the country’s democratic system, alleged Marandi, Leader of Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly.
The former chief minister was responding to the Congress’s protests over issues including the demand for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Marandi questioned the Congress’s intention behind holding such protests during the Navratri festival, which is a major cultural and Sanatan tradition.
He accused the Congress of working as a tool of foreign forces while expressing doubts about foreign involvement in the agitations.
The BJP leader claimed that the Congress was weakening in various parts of the country, referring to its position in states such as West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Odisha.
Marandi said the Congress had lost political ground in different states before 2014, when Narendra Modi was not even the Prime Minister.
“Out of desperation, the Congress is now blaming EVMs and the electoral process, which is not right. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the country is progressing and achieving new milestones across sectors, including rail, road and air connectivity, health, Digital India and space,” he said.
The country’s development journey over the last 12 years under Modi’s leadership had established its distinct identity around the world, Marandi claimed.
However, the opposition, including the Congress, could not digest the progress, he said.
The agitations by the Congress and its allies over different issues were aimed at creating instability in the country, Marandi alleged.
Questioning the credibility of institutions such as the Election Commission was an attempt to affect its functioning, he claimed.
Referring to the period of Naxalism in Jharkhand, Marandi said the outlawed Maoists used to call for an “election boycott” and threaten voters.
Any ideology aimed at weakening democracy must be opposed, he said, describing the prevailing political situation in the country as a challenge to the democratic system at an ideological level.
Marandi urged people to remain aware and united to maintain peace.
Criticising the alleged deterioration of law and order in Jharkhand, Marandi blamed the JMM-led government’s policies and style of functioning for it.
(PTI News)
