Smriti Irani lampoons Congress' 'will protect democracy' assertion

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday lashed out at the Congress over its assertion to protect democracy, asking how it was possible with the party "taking" the support of SDPI, the political arm of the banned PFI, besides being in alliance with the DMK which she said was "renowned for burning the Constitution." Campaigning for the BJP's North Chennai candidate RC Paul Kanagaraj, for the April 19 Lok Sabha polls, she also slammed the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu over its leaders' alleged anti-Sanatana Dharma comments.

"Today I stand in a state that is renowned for its spiritual power...which is renowned for our culture and that is why the nation is outraged when DMK leaders attack Sanatana Dharma, when the DMK leaders try to bring disrepute to the Hindu religion and today they stand exposed in front of the country when they speak about India and Indianness," she said.

She also slammed the Congress.


"Today, the Congress party says they want to protect democracy. My question to the Congress party is this--how will you protect democracy with the DMK which is renowned for burning Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution," she said, in an apparent reference to the Dravidian party allegedly burning copies of the Constitution in the late 1980s during an anti-Hindi agitation.

She claimed that the Congress party says that after the elections, the country will be set "afire."

"The question arises for every citizen--when the Congress party, even after colossal losses, has the arrogance to threaten the country, can such a Congress party protect democracy in India."

"The Congress today to fight election even in a state like Kerala takes support of banned terrorist organisation PFI's political leadership (SDPI). The question for people to consider is this--Congress party and the INDI alliance that take the support of terrorist organisation's political leadership, can they protect democracy in this country," she asked.

She also questioned if the opposition INDIA bloc can name its Prime Ministerial candidate while the the NDA's pick was the incumbent PM Narendra Modi.

"Today BJP can proudly say our agenda is Viksit Bharat, developed India. Can the INDI alliance say what is their alliance's agenda for India. Indi alliance has no neta (leader), no neeti (policy) and we know they have the neeyat (motive) to loot the country," she alleged.

Vote for BJP meant vote for democracy and development, she said.

"If you want a dynasty to lose and merit to win, vote for BJP. Vote for your family, not their family, vote for BJP because the country wants Modi again," she said.