Scars inflicted by Modi government to take years to heal: Sonia Gandhi

Gandhi said the Congress' position on the issue of the farm laws has been clear from the very beginning

Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Friday set the party line for the Budget Session of Parliament targeting the Modi government for showing “shocking insensitivity” towards farmers, “compromising national security” and “inflicting untold suffering” by its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Addressing the meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), Gandhi also lashed out at the Modi government’s handling of the economy and accused it of resorting to “panic privatisation”.

Even as the Agriculture Minister held 11th round of talks with farmers opposing the farm laws, the Congress President described the consultations as a “charade”.

“The agitation of farmers continues and the government has shown shocking insensitivity and arrogance going through the charade of consultations,” Gandhi said.

Track updates on the farmers' protest here

The CWC meeting which was attended by senior leaders including former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi, party’s chief ministers, AICC in-charges of states, and frontal organisations adopted three resolutions expressing solidarity with farmers, demanding a probe by Joint Parliamentary Committee in the purported WhatsApp chat leaks involving Arnab Goswami, and asking the government to ensure free Covid-19 vaccination for all citizens.

Referring to purported WhatsApp chat leaks, Gandhi said the “disturbing reports” were an indication to how national security had been “thoroughly compromised”.

“The silence from the government’s side on what has been revealed is deafening. Those who give certificates of patriotism and nationalism to others now stand totally exposed,” she said.

“The CWC demands a time-bound investigation by a Joint Parliamentary Committee to enquire the breach of national security, violations of Official Secrets Act and the role of the persons involved,” read a resolution adopted at the three-and-a-half hours long virtual meeting.

On the economic front, the Congress president said the economic situation in the country remained grim and large parts of the economy like MSME and the informal sector have been decimated with the government refusing to extend a lifeline.

Slamming the Centre’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, Gandhi claimed that the government had “inflicted untold suffering” on the people of the country by the manner in which it has managed the Covid-19 pandemic.

Read: Farmers' stir: 11th round of talks ends; no date for next meet

“It will take years for the scars to heal,” she said.

In an apparent reference to the Central Vista redevelopment project, Gandhi said it was painful to find allocation of huge amounts of money on “personal vanity projects” at a time when public expenditure has to be carefully prioritized.

“Panic privatisation has gripped the government and this is something that the Congress party can never accept and support,” she said.