‘Congress has not had a level playing field’: Sonia targets Modi govt amid SIR row | India News

Sonia Gandhi said she was not pessimistic about the Congress party’s future.

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has alleged that her party and other opposition parties have not had a level playing field since the BJP came to power in 2014, accusing the Modi government of exercising control over key institutions, including the Election Commission.In an interview with The Hindu ahead of the November 10 release of her memoir, “Belonging: A Journey of Love”, the former Congress president said the Congress had continued to fight despite what she described as institutional pressure, control over mainstream media and the use of money and religion in politics.Her remarks come amid the opposition’s campaign against the Election Commission over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.The Congress-led INDIA bloc held a major rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on November 1, accusing the poll body of electoral irregularities and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.The Opposition has alleged that the revision exercise could lead to eligible voters being removed from electoral rolls. The Congress has also stepped up its criticism of the Election Commission and its handling of the process.

‘I’m not so pessimistic’

Asked about the Congress’s decline, its present position and its prospects, Sonia said she was not pessimistic about the party’s future. She argued that the Congress and other opposition parties had been operating under difficult conditions since the BJP came to power.“I am not so pessimistic. Consider that the Congress party and other opposition parties have not had a level playing field since this government came to power. Take into account the complete stranglehold they have on all institutions, especially the Election Commission, their control of mainstream media, their money power and their exploitation of religion.”She maintained that the Congress had shown resilience despite these challenges and continued to make progress.“Yet, our party is fighting and making progress; in fact, it is the only party that has had the resilience to withstand this onslaught,” Gandhi said.She alleged that Congress workers and leaders had faced different forms of persecution but continued to uphold the party’s constitutional values.“And yet, in every village and every district, Congressmen and women are still fighting for the values enshrined in our Constitution,” she said.Gandhi also alleged that several elections had been manipulated and claimed that voters were increasingly aware of it.“What is more, it has been amply proved in recent months that many elections have been stolen, and people are now more aware of it,” she alleged. “The Congress is working with like-minded parties, and our prospects are improving day by day,” she said.The Congress leader also accused the Modi government of weakening India’s democratic institutions over the past 12 years, warning that rebuilding them would take considerable time even after a change in government.“Over the last twelve years great damage has been done to the fabric of our country, our democracy and our institutions. Even after this government goes, it will take time to restore our systems back to health and great effort from political parties,” she said.However, she expressed confidence that people would support a return to what she described as proper governance.“But I am optimistic and I know that the people of India will welcome a return to proper governance,” the former Congress chief said.

Sonia PM on Modi, RSS and Manmohan Singh

Asked what the Congress could learn from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s political rise, Gandhi said his ideological background was different from that of the Congress but dismissed the need for the party to draw lessons from the RSS.“It’s true that he comes from a very different ideological world. But there are many ways that people succeed in politics within the Congress party, take for example Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. I don’t think we have much to learn from the RSS.”She also rejected the suggestion that she had ever reconsidered her decision to decline the prime minister’s post after the Congress-led alliance won the 2004 general election.“No, not at all. That has never crossed my mind. Our experience was by and large a very positive one. We worked as a team, and our roles were distinct, with him (Singh) leading the government and I leading the party.”