Voters' Rights Under Threat: Shashi Tharoor Defends Congress Rally
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor defends the party's planned Delhi rally over alleged denial of voters' rights and discusses the BRICS Parliamentary Forum.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has asserted that his party cannot remain silent in the face of what he describes as the undermining of citizens' constitutional rights. Speaking to reporters, Tharoor strongly defended the Congress party's decision to hold a massive rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on November 1, framing the event as a necessary response to the alleged denial of voters' rights.
Battle for Constitutional Rights
Addressing the motivations behind the upcoming demonstration, Tharoor questioned how the opposition could stay quiet while the government and the Election Commission were allegedly "snatching away" the fundamental rights of Indian citizens. He emphasized that as the primary opposition party, it is the duty of the Congress to amplify the voice of the people.
Tharoor further revealed that the choice of Ramlila Maidan was not the party's first preference but rather a last resort. He noted that permissions for other venues, including the lawns of the Ashoka Hotel, had been denied, leaving the party with limited options to voice their grievances.
Addressing Concerns of Local Traders
Responding to worries that the large-scale gathering might disrupt local commerce and affect the livelihoods of traders, Tharoor clarified that the party is not antagonistic toward small businesses. He stated that the Congress party supports the small merchant and businessman, and the message sent to traders was one of solidarity rather than disruption.
"The traders have been called with the simple message that we are not against you. In fact, the Congress party supports the small businessman, the small trader, the small merchant," Tharoor remarked.
Success at the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum
Shifting gears to international diplomacy, Shashi Tharoor also shared his reflections on the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum. He labeled the event a success, noting that parliamentarians from member nations engaged in productive discussions on critical global issues.
Tharoor admitted there were some initial frictions regarding the joint declaration, mentioning that one specific country sought inclusions that the others could not accommodate. However, he noted that these differences were resolved amicably, and India successfully handed over the chairmanship to China. He urged India to maintain its proactive stance in parliamentary diplomacy and international cooperation through such forums.
Bipartisan Agreement on BRICS Success
Interestingly, the sentiment regarding the BRICS forum was echoed by the ruling party. BJP MP Hemang Joshi also hailed the forum as a triumph, pointing out that the discussions spanned a wide array of modern challenges, including:
- Artificial Intelligence and Technology
- Cybersecurity and Security
- Sustainability and Agriculture
- Business Cooperation
Joshi highlighted that hosting the forum allowed foreign delegations to witness India's "unity in diversity" firsthand, which he believes has strengthened the potential for future engagement between India and its BRICS counterparts.