In a fresh attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre over suspension of Opposition MPs from both Houses of Parliament, Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday accused the ruling dispensation of strangulating the democracy.

The CPP chairperson said the recent security breach in Parliament was inexcusable and cannot be justified.

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The remarks of Gandhi came a day after the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc condemned the suspension of MPs in Parliament during its fourth meeting held in the city. They called it “undemocratic” and announced to hold a nationwide protest on December 22 over the matter.

Referring to the suspension of MPs, Gandhi in her speech at the CPP meeting at Parliament said, ”Democracy has been strangulated by this government. Never before have so many Opposition MPs been suspended from the house, and that too, simply for raising a perfectly reasonable and legitimate demand.”

“What happened on December 13th (security breach in Parliament) is inexcusable and cannot be justified. It took four days for the Prime Minister to address the nation and express his views on the incident, and he did so outside of the Parliament. By doing so, he clearly indicated his disdain for the dignity of the house and his disregard for the people of our country,” she said.

The government has conducted a “systematic assault on democracy and the insttutions that are its essential pillars, including Parliament”, said Gandhi.

She also asserted there is a significant gap between the Prime Minister’s boasts about economic growth and the ground reality.

“Unemployment is soaring higher than in decades, and wealth is being concentrated in the hands of a select clique of industrialists. Prices of everyday commodities are skyrocketing. The poor are suffering. It is imperative that we take these issues to the public,” Gandhi said.

Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, the CPP chairperson further said, “This session has seen the passage of some important Bills relating to Jammu and Kashmir. Those who distort history and twist historical facts just to defame great patriots like Jawaharlal Nehru have been running a relentless campaign.

In these efforts, the Prime Minister and the Home Minister have taken the lead themselves, but we will not be intimidated or cowed down. We will persist in telling the truth.”

On Congress’ position on Jammu and Kashmir, Gandhi said, “Our position has been clear and consistent. Full statehood must be restored immediately, and elections must be held at the earliest.”

The aspirations of the people of Ladakh are equally important, they must be addressed and shown the respect they deserve, she said.

On party’s performance in the recently concluded Assembly elections, the CPP chairperson said, “To say that the Assembly election results in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have been very disappointing for our party is an understatement. Party president (Mallikarjun Kharge) has already had a first round of reviews to understand the reasons for our poor performance and draw the needed lessons for our organization.”

Noting that the party is facing enormous challenges, she said, ” I am confident that our fortitude and resilience will see us through. Our ideology and our values are our guiding light at this difficult time.”

On party’s stupendous performance in Telangana in Assembly polls, Gandhi said, “The people of Telengana have given us a clear mandate. We must strive our utmost to fulfill their trust and confidence.”

On 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the CPP chairperson said, “We have our task cut out both as a party in our own right and also as a member of the INDIA group.”

She informed that the Congress president has already launched the poll preparations and a rally is being organized in Nagpur on the party ‘s foundation day, is a significant step in this direction.

On Women’s Reservation Bill, Gandhi said, “We believe that the passing of the Women’s Reservation Bill with a rider – that it shall only be implemented after delimitation or a census, is an “eyewash” intended to mislead women and garner their votes while reneging on that which is rightfully owed to them.”

Noting that the Women’s Representation in Parliament is long overdue, the CPP chairperson said, “There is no time to waste. It is our firm belief that reservation for women must be implemented immediately and it should cover women belonging to all communities including the OBC community.”

Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, former party president Rahul Gandhi, Leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Deputy Leader Gaurav Gogoi, and KC Venugopal, among others were present in the meeting.