Congressleader and former AICC president Rahul Gandhi has charged that the RashtriyaSwayamsevak Sangh(RSS) has destroyed the free press and institutions in thecountry in a systematic manner over the past six years. He was addressing ameeting of advocates at VO Chidambaram college hall, Tuticorn, on Saturday.
Hesaid the nation is held together by institutions including elected institutionslike Lok Sabha,Vidhan Sabhas and Panchayats and institutions like the judiciaryand a supporting free press. Pointing out that all these institutions and afree press hold the nation together, Rahul Gandhi stated that democracy inIndia is dead. He went on to say that democracy does not die in a day but in asystematic manner and alleged that the RSS was instrumental in destroying thedemocracy of the country.
Gandhi,who is an MP from Wayanad constituency in Kerala, said that the RSS combinedwith capitalists has destroyed the balance of the country. He also charged thatwhen the institutional balance of the country is lost, states don't have equalsay.
AttackingPrime Minister Narendra Modi directly, he said "The question is not thatthe PM is useful or useless but to whom is he useful? It's like Hum Do HamareDo".
Onthe Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the Congress leader said that it isdiscriminatory and added that the farm laws passed by the parliament areagainst the poor farmers of the country.
RahulGandhi also said that the people cannot rely on the institutions to protectdemocracy and added that people's power is the only power that can protectdemocracy and democratic institutions.
TheCongress leader is on a three-day visit to Tamil Nadu where assembly electionsare being held on April 6, along with Puducherry and Kerala. He had visitedPuducherry before embarking on the Tamil Nadu visit.
Itmay be noted that the Congress party has been staking claim to contest in 45assembly seats in the DMK-led alliance but the DMK has been sticking to itsstand of allowing only 22 assembly seats to the grand old party.
FormerKerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was deputed by the Congress high command tohave a one to one meeting with DMK supremo MK Stalin but a consensus waselusive even in that meeting.