‘Parliament House is being turned into a museum’: Sonia Gandhi attacks Union government

New Delhi: Interim president of Congress, Sonia Gandhi launched severe criticism against the Union government. The Congress leader accused that under Narendra Modi government democracy is sought to be replaced by an autocracy.

‘Over three-quarters of a century we have nurtured a vibrant democracy with deep roots. We have achieved self-sufficiency in food production. We have created one of the world’s largest economies and lifted the greatest number of people in the world out of poverty and disease through democratic means. We have built one of the largest, strongest military forces and a pioneering space mission…Unfortunately, recent years have seen a reversal of our nation’s progress on multiple fronts’, she said in an op-ed.

‘The opposition was repeatedly denied an opportunity to raise issues of national importance  destructive farm laws, the use of military grade software to hack into devices belonging to constitutional figures, political opponents, journalists and activists, runaway inflation and unemployment’, the Congress leader wrote.

Also Read: ‘Setback to Congress’: Women’s wing president of Congress resigned from party 

‘Institutions that were carefully built and nurtured to provide the structure of true democracy have been systematically degenerated or destroyed, eroding the values that give substance to the inalienable right of our people to equality, justice and individual freedom. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit India, the momentum built up in recent years was dissipated through irrational and ill-advised initiatives that had no economic rationale’, she added.

‘Lives and livelihoods have been devastated as a result of hubris and bad planning. We legitimately take pride in being the world’s largest producer of vaccines. Yet, the percentage of our population who are fully vaccinated is very low due to an inordinate delay in placing orders, leaving us vulnerable to future waves at a time when our people are struggling to return to some semblance of normalcy. It is imperative that the government must reach out and address their demands. We must ensure that those who feed us do not themselves starve,” Sonia Gandhi said.

‘After decades of progress towards an India of our dreams, why is our democracy in danger? It is because tangible achievements have been substituted by hollow slogans, event management and brand-building only to benefit those in power – at the expense of governance. It is because symbolism has triumphed over meaningful action. It is because democracy is sought to be replaced by an autocracy. Today’s symbolism and reality is that Parliament House is being turned into a museum’, said the Congress leader.