Congress likens Modi to Aurangzeb, says PM enslaved democracy for 49 months

New Delhi: After Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attack on the Congress and the Gandhi family over the Emergency, the party on Tuesday hit back equating him with Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and alleged that he was even more cruel and "enslaved democracy" in the country for the past 49 months.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said PM Modi was launching an attack on the Congress only to hide his own failures and the "false" promises and "jumlas" he had made to the public before coming to power.

He alleged that an atmosphere of fear was being created in the country to suppress dissent with those opposing them dubbed as "anti-national" and that an "undeclared emergency" was imposed in the country under Modi.

"Delhi Sultanate's 'dictator' Modi, who is even more cruel than Aurangzeb, today gave lessons to the country on the Emergency imposed 43 years ago. By taking out his anger on the Congress, can a lid be put on Modiji's 'jumlas'?”

"Today's Aurangzeb has enslaved democracy in the country including in his own party, the BJP. Modiji while trying to put a lid on his own failures is taking revenge with history today, but he has forgotten that he himself will become history soon," he told reporters.

Sharpening his attack on Modi for saying that the Congress should not give lessons to him on democracy, Surjewala said, "Aurangzeb never took lessons from anybody... Dictators don't take lessons, only history teaches them lessons and I am sure Modiji will also have the same fate."

In an apparent attack on Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, the Congress leader said, "Unfortunately, if those sitting in constitutional positions will also murder 'maryada' and set traditions, then people's faith in democracy will be hurt."

Surjewala alleged that the Prime Minister himself was threatening the states to fall in line or there will be a cut in the grants released to them.

"There is an undeclared emergency in this country for the last 49 months with opposition suppressed and PM Modi himself following those who give death and rape threats to anyone who opposes them, including BJP's ministers," he said.

The Congress leader alleged that an atmosphere of fear was being created to suppress dissent and Modi was distracting people to hide his own failures. He said for the last 49 months, Modi's mounting promises have been turned out to be lies as black money has not returned yet and democracy under the Modi government is dying. He also alleged that the Finance Ministry is actively working to disrupt the thriving Indian economy instead of improving it.

Surjewala defended the Emergency saying it was imposed 43 years ago against the Janata Party which was pro-rich and pro-zamindars and was imposed to defend the rights of the poor, the Dalits and the have-nots. He said the Congress's fight was against the hoarders and black-marketeers who were being protected by the Jana Sangh then and today, Modi's 'Suit-Boot Sarkar' is also protecting a handful of crony capitalists.

He also said that the Indira Gandhi government in 1975 fought a war against poverty and gave access of banks to the marginalised.

"Will merely hitting out at the Congress help provide two crore jobs per year to the youth in the country? Will attacking the Congress help bring in black money into the country and will violence and atrocities against women and Dalits stop?" he asked.

Prime Minister Modi, while addressing an event to mark the 43rd anniversary of the imposition of the Emergency, singled out the Congress and the Gandhi family over the measure, and said the draconian measure was a "sin" of that party and the Constitution was misused for "one family".