JUST ONE DAY after the district court’s verdict in Surat, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha. However, we do not see the same speed when it comes to the demand of the opposition to set up a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) to probe the Adani matter. The action taken against Rahul Gandhi is yet another example of the arrogance and the oppressive attitude of the Narendra Modi government. Such a hugely disproportionate action has been taken against him for an election speech. He was handed the maximum sentence of two years for defamation for remarks that are political in nature and were made in the context of electioneering. This is a dangerous precedent.
It is clear that the BJP wants to disqualify opposition leaders by using various means, including the misuse of Central investigating agencies. If we cannot even speak freely, then how can we call ourselves a democracy?
The BJP has tried its utmost to finish off the Aam Aadmi Party. Our leaders, Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, are in jail over false cases. They are the face of the transformation in the capital’s education sector and health infrastructure. The BJP government, since it cannot match the Delhi model of governance―nor does it have the intention to do it―has put Sisodia and Jain behind bars. They are not terrorists that they should be treated like this. The timing of the action against Sisodia was also intended to take the attention of the people away from the Adani issue. They can come for any of us, and we are ready for all kinds of situation.
The BJP’s main mission now appears to be to finish off the entire opposition. Modi’s slogan is finish off the opposition and protect his friends. Why are the prime minister and the government running away from the opposition’s demand to set up a JPC? The Adani issue is not a small matter. It involves lakhs of crores of rupees. The refusal of the government to set up a JPC only betrays the culpability of its leaders in the matter.
All opposition parties have together petitioned the Supreme Court about the misuse of Central investigating agencies to target opposition leaders. It is a unified legal fight. We have a unified approach in resisting the dictatorial ways of the Modi government. Whether this will result in a political alliance for elections or not will depend on many other factors.
―Singh is Aam Aadmi Party’s Rajya Sabha MP.
As told to Soni Mishra