Need to fight against dictatorship to save democracy: Kharge

RAIPUR: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government terming it as "undemocratic", and said people will have to strongly fight against its "dictatorship" to save democracy.

He was addressing a public rally at Jora village on the outskirts of Raipur city after the conclusion of three-day 85th plenary session of Congress.

"The government at the Centre is not democratic. It does not work for the people. This government only runs its dictatorship," he said.

"We are not free to raise issues related to the poor, Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Caste and women there (in Parliament). My speech and Rahul ji's speech were expunged. We did not use any derogatory words, we just asked questions about (industrialist Gautam) Adani," he said.

The wealth of Adani before 2004 was Rs 3,000 crore, which increased to Rs 50,000 crore in 2014. From 2021 to 2023, it has increased 13 times, he claimed.

"Please tell me which magic is this. The mantra you gave to Adani please give to us," he said.

How Re 1 becomes Rs 13 or Rs 1 lakh become Rs 13 lakh in only two-and-a-half years, Kharge asked.

Apparently targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress chief said, "He mortgaged the entire country for one person."

People will have to strongly fight against this dictatorship to save democracy, he added.