Divisive issues to divert attention from eco collapse: Sonia

SAYS PM MODI, HM SHAH MISLED CITIZENS

Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Monday gave a call at a meeting of 20 Opposition parties to thwart the government’s design of raising one divisive and polarising issue after another to divert the nation’s attention from the collapsing economy.

The meeting held in the Parliament House Annexe was boycotted by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee but among those attending was newly-elected Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on behalf of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). Sonia told the assembled leaders, “the government has let loose a reign of oppression, spreading hatred and trying to divide people along sectarian lines,” describing it as an unprecedented turmoil.

She said the Constitution is being undermined, instruments of governance misused and students and the young have been targeted in the wake of nationwide spontaneous protests by the youths, supported by citizens from all walks of life. “The immediate cause is CAA and NRC, but they reflect widespread frustration and pentup anger, which is now out in the open.

“The PM and HM have misled the people, contradicting own statements of only weeks ago and continue with provocative statements while remaining insensitive to the state suppression and violence that is increasingly becoming commonplace.”

“NRC seems to have backfired in Assam. The Modi-Shah government is now focusing on the NPR exercise that is scheduled to begin in a few months. Contrary to the assertions of the Home Minister, it is clear this is being done to lead to a nationwide NRC,” Sonia said.

She said the Modi-Shah government stands totally exposed of its inability to provide security to the people as seen from the BJP-orchestrated assault on JNU, coming so soon after what happened in Jamia, BHU, Allahabad University, AMU and other institutions of higher education.