Protests to Impeach PM Narendra Modi Intensify in India
As PM Narendra Modi is even ignoring the Indian parliament, major opposition parties have submitted a memorandum to the President of India Pranab Mukherjee.
By Rakesh Raman
As a situation of civil unrest prevails in India, over a dozen opposition parties have been protesting for the past 2 months against the ruling regime headed by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi.
Today, police arrested 32 Trinamool Congress Members of Parliament (MPs) who were protesting outside PM office in Delhi. The Modi government had to call special security forces to control the turbulent situation.
The MPs raised slogans against Modi. These include “Don’t Kill Democracy”, “Modi Hatao Desh Bachao” (dethrone Modi, save the country), and “Modi teri manmani, Aam aadmi ki pareshani” (Modi’s dictatorship causing trouble for common Indians).
Trinamool MPs still detained in police station raising slogans against Modi #ModiHataoDeshBachao pic.twitter.com/TOr8ibd2JG
— AITC (@AITCofficial) January 5, 2017
Also, the main opposition party Congress has launched a nationwide movement against Modi. According to Congress, the protest is supposed to expose the biggest scam of independent India – which is demonetization decision of Modi. Including a slew of activities, the campaign will run throughout the month of January.
Modi had demonetized currency notes of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 on November 8 without following any democratic norms.
Nobel laureate and world’s top economist Professor Amartya Sen says Modi’s demonetization decision has showed authoritarian nature of the Indian government.
Similarly, former Prime Minister of India and leading economist Dr. Manmohan Singh said in India’s parliament that Modi’s demonetization scheme is a case of organized loot and legalized plunder.
[ Narendra Modi Corruption Case: What Is the Truth? ]
In order to dethrone Modi, Trinamool Congress leader and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced a state-wide campaign Modi Hatao Desh Bachao or (dethrone Modi, save the country). The eight-day campaign began on January 1.
On Wednesday, Bengal Finance Minister Dr. Amit Mitra staged a walkout from a pre-Budget meeting, saying there was ‘financial emergency and ‘political environment of fear’ in the country.
Dr. Mitra said the Union Budget has become a “meaningless” exercise after Modi, in his address to the nation on new year’s eve, made announcements similar to a Budget presentation.
He also said currency demonetization has led to closure of small industries and left hundreds jobless across the country.
Referring to demonetization, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) also urges people to “unite and struggle for an alternative to Modi government’s authoritarianism and attacks on people’s economic rights.”
[ Indian Opposition Parties Lack Plan to Counter Narendra Modi ]
Earlier, the opposition parties in Parliament had observed November 28 as an All India Protest Day – Akrosh Divas – against Modi government’s harsh decisions including demonetization.
As Modi is even ignoring the Indian parliament, major opposition parties have submitted a memorandum to the President of India Pranab Mukherjee.
They informed the President that the Modi government did not allow the parliament to function, as a result of which critical issues such as demonetization could not be discussed. However, the President of India has not yet initiated the process to impeach Modi.
By Rakesh Raman, who is a government award-winning journalist and social scientist. You also can visit the REAL VOTER – Politics in India Information Center that he manages.
Photo courtesy: All India Trinamool Congress
