India witnessing death of democracy: Rahul Gandhi

Gandhi charged that the sole agenda of the government is that people's issues such as price rise, unemployment and violence in society must not be raised

As Congress staged nationwide protests against price rise, a combative Rahul Gandhi on Friday targeted the Narendra Modi government saying the country is witnessing the "death of democracy" and "onset of dictatorship" where anybody raising their voice is "viciously attacked, put in jail, arrested and beaten up".

Rahul told a press conference that the sole agenda of the government is to protect the interest of four to five people and it is being run in the interest of two to three big business people by two people. He said the government does not intend to allow any discussion on people's issues such as price rise, unemployment and violence in society.

"How are you enjoying the onset of dictatorship in India? Are you enjoying it? What we are witnessing is the death of democracy in India. What do you feel? What we are witnessing is the death of democracy. What India has built brick by brick, starting almost a century ago, is being destroyed in front of your eyes," he said.

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"All of you know it, all of India knows it. Anybody who stands against this idea of the onset of dictatorship, does not matter who he is, where he comes from, which state, which religion, male or female, that person is viciously attacked, put in jail, arrested, beaten up," he said.

Asked about BJP's argument that people have elected them and the Opposition do not have the mandate, Rahul shot back, "Hitler had also won elections, he too used to win elections. How did he do it? He had control of all of Germany's institutions. Give me the entire system, then I will show you how elections are won."

He said democracy is “now a memory in India and nothing more” and there are going to be “devastating consequences” because people of India will not remain quiet about that.

To a query why the government is not feeling the pressure despite the Opposition protests, he said that all institutions of the country are in the control of the government. Alleging that all institutions are under "RSS control" as their people have been appointed in every key position, he said they were not fighting against one party but the full infrastructure.

Asked about the ED investigations against him and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, he said, "question all you want. There is absolutely nothing there, everybody knows it. My job is to resist the idea of the RSS and I am going to do it. The more I do it, the more I will be attacked, the harder I will be attacked. I am happy, attack me."

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Asserting that he will not be cowed down by the government, Rahul said he will face the attack from the government the more he raises issues and tells the truth.

"My problem is I tell the truth and I am not scared. I will do anything to stand up for democracy, when I protest against price rise, unemployment etc, there will be more attacks. Those who threaten actually are scared...they are scared of people's power. Why are they scared? Because they live in lies 24X7...I get great joy when political opponents attack me because I learn a lot more," he said.

He said the Gandhi family is attacked because they fight for an ideology and there are crores of people like them. "We fight for democracy, for communal harmony and have been fighting for years. Only I did not do this. This has been done for years, my family members have given their lives," he said, adding that this is "our responsibility".

Queried about Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's assertion that the macroeconomic indicators are strong, he said, he does not think that the Finance Minister has any understanding of what is going on in the economy of India. "Zero understanding. She is there as a mouthpiece," he said.