Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Thursday attacked the Modi government over a month-long farmers protest and said there is “no democracy” in the country today and whoever speaks against the government is termed as "terrorists and anti-nationals". Branding these farmers antisocial and calling their movement to be supported by Khalistan front, is nothing new, Rahul told the media after meeting President Ram Nath Kovind along with party MPs Ghulam Nabi Azad and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
"Democracy is a figment of imagination in this country. It only exists in our dreams," Gandhi said.
Rahul Gandhi today met President Kovind with a delegation of his Congress leaders seeking his intervention to end this massive protest, and demanded a debate in parliament as these were passed without discussion and are undemocratic. He said these laws are “anti-farmer in spirit”, adding that the farmers have stood up against these laws and will not soften their stance.
He said to the government: "Make no mistake these farmers will not go back till their demands are met." This was Rahul Gandhi's major attack on the Centre over the farm laws despite his early and initial tractor movement in Punjab right after the "black laws" were passed.
He said that no one can withstand the farmers' courage and agitation. "If the three farm laws are not repealed then it is not only the BJP or the RSS but the entire country will pay for it. Farmers, labourers are the backbone of this nation. By robbing them of their livelihood this government is harming the entire nation. It is only aiding the crony capitalists which it keeps close by," Gandhi said.
"PM Modi is making money for the crony capitalists. Whoever will try to stand against him will be called a terrorist - be it farmers, labourers and even Mohan Bhagwat," the Congress leader said, referring to the chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the BJP's ideological mentor.
To a question that several BJP leaders have called the agitating farmers as anti-national, he replied, "When farmers stand against them they call them terrorists, when labourers stand against them, they call them terrorists. Whoever stands against Modi is described as a terrorist. Whoever speaks against the government is described as anti-national."
He further added that millions of lives depend on the agriculture sector.
Gandhi said the Prime Minister is an incompetent man, who knows nothing and is doing this because he wants to help two or three businessmen.
"He then will construct whatever narrative he has to create. He will call people terrorist, anti-national," he added.
Earlier, several of the Congress leaders including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were detained and taken to Mandir Marg police station for violating Section 144 clamped in the New Delhi area in the backdrop of the Congress march from Vijay Chowk to Rashtrapati Bhawan.