Democracy, civilization in danger under Modi rule, says Prashant Bhushan 

Severely criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), senior Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan said on Tuesday that democracy and civilizational values were in danger in the country.

Prashant was present along with students from JNU, Delhi University, Lucknow University and Allahabad University, among others at the Yuva Hunkar Rally, held amid heavy police presence. The rally was organised to demand the release of Dalit outfit Bhim Army’s founder Chandrashekhar Azad and justice for Rohit Vemula and Najeeb Ahmed.

“After independence, we chose secularism as diversity is our strength. But Dalits and minorities are under attack now. During Emergency our democracy was threatened but now it’s not only democracy but also our civilization which is in danger under Modi rule,” he asserted, adding, “The BJP-RSS run a propaganda against those whose ideologies don’t match with that of the government. They are opposed to all those who raise saner questions.”

Expressing hope in the youth upsurge across the country, he said: “Our generation has failed this country. That is why we are at the cross roads today. It is now time for the youth to fight the battle against the politics of hatred, lies and violence to bring social equality as promised by the Constitution. The politics of hate needs to be replaced with politics of cooperation to ensure dignified life to every citizen in this country.”

Bhushan also criticised government for the introduction of electoral bonds and Finance Act amendments, claiming that it had paved way for routing black money to political parties.

Instead of becoming a Republic in a true sense, Bhushan said, the growing menace of money power in electoral politics was posing threat to representative democracy in the country.

Bhushan also slammed Modi government for encouraging cronyism and curbing dissent in the universities.