New Delhi [India], February 26 : Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, LoP Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that protesting under the tenure of "compromised" PM has become a "crime."
In an 'X' post, Rahul Gandhi stressed that the world's largest democracy is being pushed to a stage where "dissent" is termed as "treason", meanwhile, asking questions are conspiracy. He further mentioned that lawsuits against people who protest against the government have become a normal thing.
"In today's India, under the rule of a Compromised PM, peaceful protest has been turned into the biggest crime. The world's largest democracy is being slowly pushed in a direction where dissent is labelled as treason and asking questions is called a conspiracy. Think about it - no matter the issue, if you raise your voice against those in power through constitutional means, then batons, lawsuits, and jail are almost a certainty," Rahul Gandhi said.
Drawing attention towards the issue of paper leaks, wrestlers' protests and peaceful demonstrations in support of a rape victim are "crushed", meanwhile, their demand for justice is also deemed an "inconvenience" to the system and dispersed.
"Youth tormented by paper leaks raised their voices for their future - and were met with blows from batons. The country's proud women wrestlers demanded a fair investigation into serious allegations against a powerful BJP leader. Their cries were defamed, their movement crushed, and they were forcibly removed from the streets. A peaceful demonstration took place at India Gate in support of a rape victim. The demand for justice was deemed an "inconvenience" to the system and dispersed," Gandhi said.
Intensifying his attack on PM Modi, Gandhi claimed that the Indian Youth Congress's protest at the AI Summit against the India-US trade deal was called "anti-national", whereas people who opposed the government over air pollution were dismissed as "politics" and their demands were suppressed.
"When Youth Congress peacefully protested against a US Trade deal harmful to the country, they were branded "anti-national" and arrested. When ordinary people stood up against poisonous air, even concerns for the environment were dismissed as "politics" and suppressed. When farmers protested for their rights, they too were labeled anti-national. Tear gas, rubber bullets, water cannons, and batons - these became the means of dialogue," he said.
Gandhi also questioned the Prime Minister, asking what kind of democracy people are living in the present time, where a "compromised" PM fears questions, and "crushing" dissent is becoming the nature of governance. He stated that peaceful protests are not a crime but the soul of democracy. Gandhi stressed that the growth of democracy takes place when the government listen to criticism and responds to it, while remaining accountable.
"When tribals stood up for their rights to water, forests, and land, suspicion was cast upon them too - as if demanding one's rights is a crime. What kind of democracy is this, where a Compromised PM fears questions? Where crushing dissent is becoming the nature of governance? Peaceful protest is not a crime - it is the soul of democracy. Asking questions is not democracy's weakness - it is its strength. Democracy grows stronger when the government listens to criticism, responds, and remains accountable. Modi ji, this is not North Korea, it is India. When those in power start seeing themselves as the nation and dissent as the enemy - that is when democracy dies," he said.
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