Democracy going through its darkest hours under Modi Govt: Rahul Gandhi

Chairing the crucial Congress Working Committee (CEC) meeting here in the absence of party president Sonia Gandhi, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Monday tore into 'power-obsessed' Prime Minister Narendra Modi and called on the gathering to expose the Centre's failures in the upcoming Winter Parliament session.

In his opening remarks before proceeding with the agenda of the meeting, Rahul asserted that democracy, under the present dispensation, is going through one of its darkest hours and that the government is silencing all those who disagree with it.

"Hiding behind the cloak of national security, civil society is being intimidated for asking questions. Television channels are being punished and asked to shut down. The opposition is being arrested for holding the government to account. All attempts by this government to suppress our fundamental freedoms by abusing state power will only strengthen our resolve to defeat such dangerous designs," Rahul said.

Listing out a range of issues highlighting the failures of the NDA Government, Rahul emphasised that the Centre is trying to hide its failure behind numbers that have been widely doubted and questioned.

"Selectively chosen corporate are favoured, not the aam admi. Youth, even those who have good education, face the spectre of unemployment. Famers' suicides and agrarian unrest have increased to astonishing levels," he said.

Continuing to press heavily on the Modi Government over its failure in dealing effectively with Pakistan, Rahul stated that the Centre has swung from one extreme to another in dealing with Islamabad and the issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir.

Pointing out that Indian soldiers have suffered the highest causalities in decades, the Congress vide president added that the Armed Forces are being cruelly rewarded by a callous government with denial of OROP and cut in disability pensions.

"With state elections due in the coming months we can safely expect the Modi government to launch a campaign of disinformation and polarization. They will exploit caste and religious fault lines. We must anticipate and neutralise such devious strategies," he added.

Rahul further called on the Congress gathering to continue its fight to expose the "comprehensive failure" of the Modi government on all fronts.