Waqf bill bulldozed in Parliament, it’s brazen assault on Constitution: Sonia Gandhi

New Delhi: Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi, in her first reaction to the passage of Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Lok Sabha, called it a brazen assault on the Constitution and urged the party lawmakers to be ‘aggressive and combative’ in calling out the failures of BJP-ruled NDA government.

Sonia, addressing the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting at Central Hall this morning, said that the Waqf bill was bulldozed through the Parliament.

“The Bill is a brazen assault on the Constitution itself. It is very much part of the BJP’s deliberate strategy to keep our society in a state of permanent polarization,” she said at the CPP General Body meeting.

The CPP chairperson also raised strong reservations against One Nation, One Election Bill (ONOE) and called it another subversion of the Constitution.

“Women’s reservation bill was passed by both Houses two years ago but continues to be wilfully ignored for one-third reservation for women belonging to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and OBC communities,” she highlighted.

Levelling a direct charge at Modi government, she said that four landmark laws initiated during UPA government namely — RTI, MNREGA, Forest Rights Act and the Land Acquisition Act were being diluted by the incumbent regime. She further said that the National Food Security enacted in 2013 is facilitating food security to over 80 crore population but another 14 crore people remain deprived of their legal rights because of Centre’s failure to conduct the Census.

She also urged the Congress members to keep up their fight against Modi government’s brazen attempts to usurp their policies and rebrand as its own.

“Modi government is dragging the country into an abyss where Constitution will remain on papers. It is vital for all of us to continue to fight for what is right and just, to expose Modi government’s failing and intention to turn India into a surveillance state,” former Congress President said.

“Prime Minister has rebranded, repackaged and marketed numerous initiatives taken during 2004-2014 as his own personal accomplishments. That too needs to be exposed through our own public outreach activities,” she added.

Sonia said that the BJP MPs are training guns at Congress-ruled states in Parliament and urged the Congress lawmakers to be equally aggressive and belligerent in cornering the Centre on its failures.

“I find BJP members aggressively target our state governments, with total falsehoods especially during the Zero Hour. I think all of you should be equally aggressive and raising the failures and mis-governance in BJP-ruled states. This will mean much more pointed homework and research on our part,” she said.

Congress RS MP also raised concerns over Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi being ‘denied opportunities’ to speak in the House and added that Mallikarjun Kharge, the LOP in Rajya Sabha, was also not allowed to say what he wants to say.

“This is quite extraordinary and shocking, designed to prevent the Opposition from raising their concerns that would put the Government on the spot,” she remarked.

–IANS