Strange irony that those in power are holding rally to ‘save democracy’, says Manish Tewari
Chandigarh, Oct 28 (IANS) Congress MP Manish Tewari on Wednesday criticised the BJP’s ‘Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy’ padayatra, calling it a ‘strange irony’ that the ruling party was holding a rally while the Opposition was protesting to protect voting rights.
Speaking to IANS, Tewari said, “It is a strange irony. The Opposition protests against the government when it does something wrong, and here, the Opposition is protesting to protect voting rights. It is unusual that those in power are holding a rally. What are they holding a rally for? If you want to save the Constitution, restore the voting rights of the 13 crore people who have been deprived of them, and the Constitution will be protected.”
His remarks came as BJP National President Nitin Nabin is scheduled to lead a foot march titled ‘Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy’ in Delhi’s Chandni Chowk on Wednesday. The march is part of the party’s outreach campaign amid Opposition protests over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, state BJP President Harsh Malhotra, MPs and other senior party leaders are also expected to participate in the march.
The BJP’s nationwide outreach assumes significance ahead of the INDIA bloc’s proposed rally in Delhi on November 1. The Opposition alliance has announced a ‘Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao’ rally at Ramlila Maidan to protest against alleged irregularities in the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls.
Tewari also expressed concern over the law and order situation in Punjab, saying the state has been facing the challenge of narco-terrorism for decades.
“I have maintained, and have also written about this, that Punjab has been going through an era of narco-terrorism since 1995. Just as terrorism was fought and eliminated between 1980 and 1995, Punjab must unite and collectively fight narco-terrorism, or drug-fuelled terrorism, to protect future generations,” he said.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the Punjab government reportedly denied permission for the seventh annual anti-drug marathon organised by the Jakhar Trust in Abohar, citing the prevailing law and order situation.
The trust, run by the family of BJP leader Sunil Jakhar, has been organising the event for the past seven years under the slogan ‘Nashon Se Door, Khelon Ki Ore’, which promotes sports as an alternative to drug abuse.
–IANS
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