Amit Shah says democracy in danger due to Congress

Continuing his attack on the Congress, BJP national president Amit Shah on Thursday charged that the party was trying to strangulate democracy in the country by stalling the functioning of parliament.

The BJP president was speaking at a protest staged in front of the deputy commissioner's office, as part of the party's nationwide agitation.

He said the NDA government was willing to debate on the bank scam, row on the special status to Andhra Pradesh and the no-confidence motion moved by a few parties. He said the disruption of parliament had caused the exchequer a loss of Rs 225 crore.

Issues like border security, farmers' suicide, loan waiver and development of the states cannot be discussed if parliament is not allowed to function, he said.

This style of functioning of the Congress party has been there since the days of Indira Gandhi, who had imprisoned Opposition leaders and imposed emergency on the country.

"The Congress has chained democracy in its house. We have come to the people's court to tell them about the anti-democratic polices of the Congress and to save the hard-earned democracy," Shah said.

He said the BJP had continued its winning streak in 21 states, and on May 12, Karnataka too would be freed of the Congress.

The Siddaramaiah-led government is the most corrupt government in the country, he said and added that it has become an ATM for the Congress high command.

On the Lingayat-Veerashaiva issue, Shah said the objective of all partymen should be to unite the people rather than divide them on the basis of caste and religion. This move of the Congress would boomerang in the elections, he added.

Shah sat in the protest for about 30 minutes before proceeding to Gadag district. The BJP president was accompanied by the party's state president B S Yeddyurappa, leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Jagadish Shettar, MP Pralhad Joshi, Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Chandrashekhar, MLA Arvind Bellad and others were present.