Baij Calls UP Govt Order Authoritarian Ahead of Delhi Rally
Raipur: Ahead of a major protest planned in Delhi, Chhattisgarh Congress president Deepak Baij has criticised an Uttar Pradesh government order on government jobs for protesters, calling it an authoritarian move driven by fear.
Baij said the Constitution gives every citizen the right to express views, protest and agitate. He asked whether democracy still allowed people to launch movements, and argued that free expression is a basic right that cannot be curtailed.
He said the order revealed the government's apprehension about the November 1 rally in Delhi. Baij claimed that youth, students and workers would not accept the directive and that large numbers of citizens would join the Delhi protest on that day.
Recounting the logistics of the protest, Baij said the Congress had requested a special train and was asked to deposit the required fare. He said the party had complied with the requirement, yet the train was cancelled. In his view, the government did not want protesters to reach the capital.
Baij further accused the Centre, state administrations and BJP-governed states of working hard to protect Gyanesh Kumar. He asserted that the BJP's standing was linked to Gyanesh Kumar, and claimed that the rally would be the largest in India's history, with over 10 lakh people taking part.
He quoted Rahul Gandhi as saying the rally would be called off within 30 seconds if Gyanesh Kumar's removal were announced. Baij also argued that the gathering would bring economic gains to tea stall operators, food sellers, shopkeepers, taxi drivers, hoteliers and cloth traders, especially during the Diwali shopping season.
Referring to the Varanasi MLC polls, he said the BJP had suffered defeats in Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency, as well as in Allahabad and Nagpur. Although the Congress had not won these seats, he said the BJP had failed to protect its bastions in these indirect elections.
Baij concluded by reiterating the demand that general elections be conducted through ballot papers, asserting that the BJP would be unable to win under that method.