After Sonia Gandhi’s column, the BJP responds, saying “Democracy died just once.”

In advance of significant elections in Karnataka and other states this year, Sonia Gandhi published an editorial in The Hindu criticizing the governing Bharatiya Janata Party.

In an editorial that was published by a top national daily on Tuesday, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party. With an eye on the general election in 2024, she charged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his administration were “systematically undermining all three pillars of India’s democracy” and cautioned the ruling party that “enforcing quiet cannot address India’s issues.”

The former Congress leader discussed a variety of topics, including the expulsion of Rahul Gandhi as a party member and the political controversy surrounding the Adani-Hindenburg crisis, which sparked ferocious opposition demonstrations and effectively halted the second half of the Parliament’s Budget session. She further charged that the administration had employed “unprecedented tactics” including expunging speeches.

“… we have observed the prime minister and his government deliberately destroying the three pillars of India’s democracy – the legislature, the executive and the judiciary – with their acts displaying a deep-rooted hatred for democracy and democratic accountability,”

Sonia Gandhi began and referred to ‘a government-led plan to disrupt Parliament and prevent the Opposition from discussing matters of significant concern… such as unemployment, inflation…’

Sonia Gandhi claimed the prime minister’s ‘actions speak far louder than his words’ and said, “… his speeches – when not venting fury at the opposition or blaming former leaders for today’s troubles – either disregard the most essential issues… These are verbal tricks used to ignore or divert attention from these problems.”

Mallikarjun Kharge, the party’s leader, referred to the editorial as a “thought-provoking criticism of the Modi government” and the Congress shared it.

In reaction, union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan lambasted the Congress and dubbed the opinion piece a ‘typical illustration of Modi hatred, wrong priorities and overestimation of relevance at the national level’.

“It is Congress which is at the crossroads and not the nation. The days ahead are essential but for the grand old party, which is on the cusp of a political disaster.”

What did Sonia Gandhi say in her opinion piece?

‘Disqualifying at lightening speed…’

The senior Congress leader further blasted the BJP for ‘disqualifying a Congress Member of Parliament (she did not identify Rahul Gandhi) at lightening speed’. Rahul Gandhi had been ousted as the Lok Sabha MP from Kerala’s Wayanad last month after a court in Modi’s home state of Gujarat found him guilty of criminal defamation in the ‘Modi surname’ case and awarded him two years’ jail.

The punishment was promptly stayed by the same court to enable the Congress leader time to file an appeal, which will be considered by a sessions court in Gujarat’s Surat on Wednesday.

Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification caused a big political dispute that seemed to unite an otherwise splintered opposition, giving the BJP’s challengers optimism ahead of next year’s Lok Sabha election.

‘Misuse of CBI…’

“… over 95% of political cases filed only against the opposition parties – with cases against individuals who join the BJP suddenly evaporating. The exploitation of legislation meant for national security against journalists, activists and reputable think institutes has been unprecedented,” she said.

Judiciary at ‘crisis point’

Sonia Gandhi further condemned the ‘systematic effort to undermine the legitimacy of the judiciary’ and pointed to the law minister labelling some judges ‘anti national’; “… this rhetoric is purposefully intended to misguide people, inflame their passions… thereby intimidating serving judges.”

Finally, she also blasted out over ‘political intimidation’ of Indian media, stating that ‘evening debates on news channels (are) evolving as slanging matches to shout down and muzzle those who criticize the administration’.

As a parting shot, Sonia Gandhi also took aim at union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, of whom she stated ‘her silence does not help lakhs struggling to buy basic staples such as milk, vegetables, eggs, cooking gas and oil, or youth facing record jobless rates’.