PANAJI
Big-spending political parties, who are in cahoots with industry captains, are slowly being weaned away from the common man from fighting elections and disenfranchising the weaker rungs of society, Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar said on Thursday.
Speaking at a Bahujan samaj convention here, Kumar, a former student union leader, also said that the gradual elimination of the public sector by the BJP-led coalition government at the Centre would put an end to the reservation of jobs for the weaker sections of society and only benefit top industrialists, who he claimed were friends of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"Today, a common man can no longer fight elections. Slowly we are being disenfranchised. See the posters, do you think they (political parties) are staying within the limits of Rs 70 lakh set by the Election Commission? The common man has been excluded from contesting elections. Tomorrow, you will be excluded from voting... Do you think our democracy is going to survive this?" Kumar said.
"We are seeing a trend in democracy. People's issues are being diverted ahead of elections. Not a single pole is spared from the 32 teeth of our smiling Prime Minister, who keeps talking about 10 years of vikaas (development). And then the double engine sarkar. I'm from Bihar and there too there is a double engine sarkar. But if double engine sarkar brought development, then why do people from Bihar have to come to Goa to work?" Kumar also said.
The Congress leader also slammed the trend of doing away with public sector undertakings pursued by the central government.
"If Air India is not left, will reservations be there in airlines? If railways do not survive, will there be reservation in railways? If government universities cease, will reservations remain? If government hospitals do not remain will there be reservations there? The manner in which the public sector is being ended. Who is this against? This is against the bahujans," Kumar said.
"We are not against the private sector. For the population, the public sector alone cannot handle it. But keep in mind that if there is no public sector, the private sector will not be able to function.
Get it in your heads that if there is no Air India, Air Vistara will not be able to function, if there is no SBI, then ICICI will also not work well. If there is no GMC then even in Fortis you will not get a bed. During Covid times, if you couldn't get a bed in a government hospital do you think you will get one in a private hospital?" Kumar questioned.
Kumar also made a reference to the accusations made by the BJP over the recent "security lapse" in Punjab, where Modi was headed for a rally on Wednesday.
"If he has a 56-inch chest (referring to the PM) why is he so worried? They say he does not belong to a party, but to the country. If so, then why is he campaigning? He is the PM of the country, the Home Ministry is under his good friend. If the security lapsed, call for an inquiry. The entire SPG (Special Protection Group) is under you. Find out why they failed. He went to Pakistan and ate iryani that time he wasn't afraid, but in his own country he's afraid of his own people," Kumar said.
