On India's 74th Independence Day, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government saying that government is standing contrary to the democratic system, constitutional values and established traditions.
Sonia Gandhi raised the question of whether people in the country today have the freedom to write, speak and express disagreement. She also remembered the soldiers who lost their lives in Galwan valley clashes and also hoped that India would overcome the corona pandemic and severe economic crisis due to its strength.
"We have tested our democratic values from time to time in the last 74 years of independence. It has continuously matured. Today it seems that the government stands contrary to democratic, constitutional values and established traditions. It is the test of time for Indian democracy too," she said.
She further said, "Today every countrymen need to look into the conscience and think what freedom means? Is there freedom in the country today to write, speak, ask questions, to disagree, to think, ask for accountability?"
Conveying greeting on the Independence Day, Sonia Gandhi said that India's fame is not only due to democratic values and pluralism of different languages, religions, but India is also known for facing adversity with solidarity. She expressed the hope that "today, as the whole world is struggling with the corona epidemic, India will have to unite and set a paradigm to defeat this epidemic and I can say with full confidence that we can all come together with this epidemic and serious economic crisis."
She also recalled 20 soldiers who were martyred in the Galwan Valley of Ladakh and said that thwarting Chinese incursion would be a true tribute and demanded the government to give due respect to the bravehearts.
73-year-old Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi did not attend the Independence Day celebrations at Congress headquarters today. In her absence, senior leader and former Union AK Antony hoisted the Tricolor at the Congress headquarters. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, and leaders like Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary, KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala were present on the occasion.
( With inputs from ANI )