New Delhi: The Congress on Monday alleged in the Lok Sabha that the government had sent “vandals” to the Red Fort to “desecrate” the monument and defame the ongoing farmers’ agitation, and demanded that a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe be held to uncover the “big conspiracy”.
Participating in the debate on the motion thanking the president for his address to parliament, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury also demanded a similar investigation by a JPC into the alleged TRP scam and purported chats of a television anchor that have allegedly been linked to the Balakot airstrikes.
“With such a strong home minister like Amit Shah, how can some people reach the Red Fort, that too on January 26 when the highest level of security was in place in Delhi. Why isn’t there a proper investigation into it. It is actually a big, well-planned conspiracy to defame the farmers. The fact is that you have sent some vandals to the Red Fort to create vandalism. Forces within the government are behind it,” he alleged.
He was referring to the Republic Day incident during the farmers’ tractor rally when hundreds of protesters had stormed the Red Fort, hoisted a religious flag on the ramparts and clashed with the police.
Also read: Why Was the Red Fort Left Unguarded When Delhi Was on ‘High Alert’?
“You have filed cases one after another against the farmers. You want to create fear among the farmers,” the Congress leader said. “You want to create a rift between Punjab and other states,” he claimed in the house when Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi were in attendance.
Chowdhury likened the current situation in Delhi with Kabul, Baghdad and Syria, saying that barricades, barbed wire and nails have been put in and around the sites of the farmer protests at Delhi’s borders.
“The whole world is discussing about India. Your action is bringing disrepute to India,” he said. “You have misguided [former test captain] Sachin Tendulkar, [music legend] Lata Mangeshkar,” he said, referring to Tendulkar and Mangeshkar’s tweets.
Also read: The Shame of Fortress Delhi
Chowdhury alleged that the central government had earlier conspired against Muslims and now against the farmers. “Farmers are at Delhi’s borders. More than 200 farmers have lost their lives. Why is the prime minister not talking to them? Why this arrogance? You have a majority, and you are trying to bulldoze through your majority. Don’t insult the farmers, don’t wage a war against the farmers. Are they your enemy?” he said, lashing out at the Modi government.
Chowdhury asked the government why it was “so much afraid” of a teenage climate activist, Greta Thunberg, that it engaged the whole machinery to counter her tweets supporting the farmers’ agitation against the three agricultural laws.
Referring to the purported WhatsApp chat between television anchor Arnab Goswami and former CEO of the Broadcast Audience Research Council Partho Dasgupta, the Congress leader questioned how the television anchor was “aware” of a possible airstrike on the terrorist camp at Balakot in Pakistan days before the actual operation had happened.
“Such a sensitive matter could be known to only the prime minister, home minister, defence minister or the NSA [National Security Advisor],” he said. Secrecy still shrouds the Balakot operation, Chowdhury said, alleging that it was reported that the action was taken keeping in mind electoral benefits.
Also read: Not Just Greta Thunberg, India’s Teenagers are Also Standing With Protesting Farmers.
BJP’s Nishikant Dubey cited rules and demanded that the members authenticate their remarks on WhatsApp chats with references to national security and Balakot. Meenakashi Lekhi, who was presiding over the proceedings, said it is up to the members to authenticate. “And post that, whether it goes or record will be tested,” she said.
Republic Media Network had earlier hit out at the Congress over its allegations that the purported WhatsApp chats of Goswami point to a breach of national security and violations of the Official Secrets Act, and claimed that the party was peddling “falsehoods”.
Taking a dig at BJP leaders, Chowdhury said it is one thing to take someone’s name and it is another matter to practically follow his ideology. “The BJP is bereft of any national icon. You are borrowing the national icons. There is nothing wrong in borrowing. But try to understand and comprehend these icons. You often take the name of Netaji [Subhas Chandra Bose]. But why not take the names of [Jawaharlal] Nehru or Indira Gandhi. This reflects your pettiness,” he claimed.
Also read: Arnab Goswami WhatsApp Chats: Congress Leaders File Police Complaints Over Balakot ‘Leak’
The Congress leader also asked the government to come clean on China’s alleged transgressions into Indian territories and noted that the prime minister had asserted that nobody had intruded into the country. Chinese soldiers should be thrown out of Indian territories, he said.
Chowdhury also took a swipe at defence minister Rajnath Singh, saying he is not very aware of developments and asked him why parts of Rafale fighter jets are not being manufactured in India.
(PTI)