"The party that misused Article 356": Pralhad Joshi slams Congress over record on free speech, democracy

India Gazette

26-05-2025

New Delhi [India], May 26 (ANI): Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution & New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, on Monday criticised the Indian National Congress for what he called a 'hypocritical' stance on democracy and freedom of expression.
Taking to microblogging platform X, Joshi wrote, 'It is deeply ironic that a party dominated by a single family is now speaking about democracy and freedom of speech.'
Joshi was replying to a post by Congress MP Jairam Ramesh in which he called the completion of 11 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi an 'Undeclared Emergency.'
He posed four pointed questions to the Congress and its president, Mallikarjun Kharge, alleging a history of democratic suppression.
'Will @INCIndia & Mr. @Kharge put some light on the following,' he wrote while referring to historical instances, he stated, 'This is the same Congress party that has misused Article 356 over a hundred times to topple democratically elected governments across the country.'
He further added, 'In 1975, it declared a national Emergency for personal and political gain, suspending fundamental rights and stripping citizens of their freedoms.'
https://x.com/JoshiPralhad/status/1926945136904196097
Joshi also criticised the Congress-led government in Karnataka, stating, 'Its own government in Karnataka has issued a gag order, eerily reminiscent of the Emergency era tactics. And now, they are targeting and attempting to arrest journalists and news anchors who express views critical of the party.'
This comes after Congress Chief Malikarjuna Kharge, in a post on X, took on the Central government and mentioned that inflation in the country is at its 'peak' whereas unemployment is on the 'rise'. He also accused the government of ruining relations with every country rather than fulfilling the promise of making India a 'Vishwa Guru'.
He wrote, 'Economy - inflation at its peak, unemployment on the rise, consumption at a standstill, Make in India flopping and inequality at its peak. Foreign Policy - promised to become 'Vishwaguru' but spoiled relations with every country. Democracy - RSS attacks every pillar, misuse of ED/CBI, and autonomy of institutions destroyed. Every section of the 140 crore population is troubled. This is how the Lotus symbol has been in 11 years!!'
Kharge's comment came with the completion of 11 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's being in office.
Kharge stated that their promise of 'achchhey din' has turned out to be a 'dreadful' dream. He stated that a promise of doubling farmers' income was not fulfilled, so they had to take rubber bullets, whereas women's security is currently in 'tatters.'
Kharge further alleged atrocities against the minorities of the country and believed that their participation in society is lost.
'26 May 2014. In 11 years, by turning tall 'promises' into hollow 'claims', the Modi Government has ruined the country in such a way that the talk of 'achchhey din' has now turned out to be a 'dreadful dream'. Youth - promise of two crore jobs per year, in reality, crores are missing. Farmers' income did not double; on top of that, they had to take rubber bullets. Women - conditions apply to reservation, security in tatters. Weaker sections - SC/ST/OBC/minorities are facing terrible atrocities, their participation is lost,' Mallikarjun Kharge's 'X' post read. (ANI)