Democracy has become ‘Namocracy’ under PM Modi-led government: Mamta Banerjee
NEW DELHI : Opposition’s top leaders met at the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar’s house in New Delhi Wednesday. Among those in attendance include Congress national president Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, and Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, .
Leaders of 15 opposition parties gathered in New Delhi on Wednesday to participate in the mega-opposition rally titled ‘Remove Dictatorship, Save Country’, organised by Aam Admi Party’s (AAP). The Kejriwal-hosted rally became the second such show of force after TMC rally on January 19. Hosted by Mamata Banerjee, leaders from 23 ‘anti-BJP’ parties gathered in Kolkata for ‘United India rally’ and vowed to oust BJP from power.
Earlier today speaking from the Jantar Mantar, Kejriwal accused PM Modi of trying to tear the Constitution apart. Mamata Banerjee said the Indian democracy has become ‘Namocracy’ – a portmanteau for Narendra Modi’s moniker ‘NaMo’ and ‘democracy’, adding, the situation in the country is ‘worse than emergency’. didi said she had never seen any government “stoop so low”.”It is Prime Minister’s last day as an elected leader in Parliament today,” she said. “Everyone is afraid of Gabbar Singh. There are two of them — (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi and (BJP chief Amit) Shah,” she was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
After the meeting, Sharad Pawar, Rahul Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee addressed the media. “We had a very constructive meeting, our collective target is to stop the BJP government. We also deliberated on the common minimum program of the coalition,” Rahul Gandhi said. “We agreed that the principal target for all of us is to wipe out the assault on Indian institutions by Narendra Modi, BJP and RSS. We have a commitment that we’re all going to work together to defeat the BJP,” he added.
Speaking at the rally, Kejriwal launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging he is trying to tear apart the Constitution and destroy democracy. On a day when the CAG report on the 2015 Rafale fighter deal was tabled in Parliament, Kejriwal said Modi should speak the truth on the agreement between India and France because, as prime minister, he is accountable to the nation. “Modi is trying to tear apart the Constitution. He is destroying democracy,” he said at a mega rally of opposition parties organised by his Aam Aadmi Party at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.The rally was organised nearly three weeks after Banerjee hosted Opposition leaders in Kolkata in a similar show of strength on January 19.
Banerjee said the situation in the country is worse than an emergency, and asserted that she would fight along with the Congress and Left at the national level despite their bitter rivalry in the state. Democracy has become ‘Namocracy’ under PM Modi-led NDA government at the Centre, said Trinamool Congress chief. “We will fight collectively in coming days. We will fight together at the national level. Let them fight against me, I don’t mind. For the interest of the nation, I’m ready to sacrifice my life/party,” the West Bengal chief minister said while addressing a mega rally organised by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
CPI leader D Raja said the Constitution is under attack under Narendra Modi as prime minister and asserted that Parliament has been undermined and bypassed and its role has been minimized under Modi.”BJP in power is a threat to constitution and democracy. It must be defeated,” he added.CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury alleged that BJP is professing politics of ‘Dushashan’ by pitting brothers against brothers. “There is need to replace this government for a better India. This chowkidar needs to be removed to save the country. “BJP is like Kaurava Sena but the Pandavas (Opposition) will defeat them and save the country,” he said. The mega rally today was attended by leaders of 15 parties — way below the 23 that had attended Ms Banerjee’s January 19 rally in Kolkata. The other opposition leaders attending the meet include Mr Naidu and National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah.
Interestingly, minutes before Mamata Banerjee arrived, the two left leaders moved away from the stage. Other senior leaders, including Samajwadi Party’s Ram Gopal Yadav, AAP’s Sanjay Singh, Nationalist Congress Party’s Sharad Pawar and LJD chief Sharad Yadav were also present at the rally. Sources said the discussion is on a possible alliance between Mr Kejriwal’s party and the Congress in Delhi. While the two parties are known for their political rivalry, the opposition leaders are arguing that a lack of an alliance in Delhi is likely to harm the unity agenda, sources said.
Delhi has seven Lok Sabha seats, all of which were won by the BJP in the 2014 national elections. But in the subsequent assembly election, Mr Kejriwal’s party had won big. The Aam Aadmi Party swept the 2015 elections, while the Congress drew a blank.The Congress-AAP dynamics had been skewed from the beginning, with Mr Kejriwal’s party growing out of the anti-corruption movement of Anna Hazare that had targeted the Congress government in Delhi led by Sheila Dikshit. Still, the two parties had entered a partnership in 2013, which ended with Mr Kejriwal’s 49-day tenure as Chief Minister.
The parties, which have been at loggerheads since, had to re-calibrate their stance after persuasion from opposition leaders — Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, DMK chief MK Stalin and CPM’s Sitaram Yechury. Co-opted into the united opposition, Mr Kejriwal even shared stage with Rahul Gandhi. (With Agency inputs)
CPI leader D Raja said the Constitution is under attack under Narendra Modi as prime minister and asserted that Parliament has been undermined and bypassed and its role has been minimized under Modi.”BJP in power is a threat to constitution and democracy. It must be defeated,” he added.CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury alleged that BJP is professing politics of ‘Dushashan’ by pitting brothers against brothers. “There is need to replace this government for a better India. This chowkidar needs to be removed to save the country. “BJP is like Kaurava Sena but the Pandavas (Opposition) will defeat them and save the country,” he said. The mega rally today was attended by leaders of 15 parties — way below the 23 that had attended Ms Banerjee’s January 19 rally in Kolkata. The other opposition leaders attending the meet include Mr Naidu and National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah.
Interestingly, minutes before Mamata Banerjee arrived, the two left leaders moved away from the stage. Other senior leaders, including Samajwadi Party’s Ram Gopal Yadav, AAP’s Sanjay Singh, Nationalist Congress Party’s Sharad Pawar and LJD chief Sharad Yadav were also present at the rally. Sources said the discussion is on a possible alliance between Mr Kejriwal’s party and the Congress in Delhi. While the two parties are known for their political rivalry, the opposition leaders are arguing that a lack of an alliance in Delhi is likely to harm the unity agenda, sources said.
Delhi has seven Lok Sabha seats, all of which were won by the BJP in the 2014 national elections. But in the subsequent assembly election, Mr Kejriwal’s party had won big. The Aam Aadmi Party swept the 2015 elections, while the Congress drew a blank.The Congress-AAP dynamics had been skewed from the beginning, with Mr Kejriwal’s party growing out of the anti-corruption movement of Anna Hazare that had targeted the Congress government in Delhi led by Sheila Dikshit. Still, the two parties had entered a partnership in 2013, which ended with Mr Kejriwal’s 49-day tenure as Chief Minister.
The parties, which have been at loggerheads since, had to re-calibrate their stance after persuasion from opposition leaders — Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, DMK chief MK Stalin and CPM’s Sitaram Yechury. Co-opted into the united opposition, Mr Kejriwal even shared stage with Rahul Gandhi. (With Agency inputs)
