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The Congress MLA and AICC national spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Rathore on Wednesday alleged that attempts were being made to suppress the voice of youth by making an issue out of the shirtless protest staged by Youth Congress workers during the AI Impact summit in Delhi, and demanded action against Delhi Police for an alleged warrantless raid at Himachal Sadan.
Speaking to reporters in Shimla, Rathore said, "An attempt is being made to silence the youth by highlighting the shirtless protest carried out by the Youth Congress during the recent summit in Delhi. Action must be taken against Delhi Police for allegedly conducting a raid at Himachal Sadan without a warrant." He said that during the summit held in Delhi on February 20, Youth Congress workers had registered a peaceful protest over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's deal with the United States and its perceived impact on farmers and youth. "Youth across the country are angry over unemployment, shrinking job opportunities and the policies of the central government," he said. Rathore alleged that the Centre had come to power with a promise of providing two crore jobs but was instead promoting contractual employment and job cuts. "Youth Congress office-bearers raised these issues at the Delhi summit, following which some youth were arrested. The arrest of the national president of Youth Congress is a violation of democratic rights," he said. Questioning remarks attributed to the Prime Minister that the protest had tarnished India's image internationally, Rathore said, "Is registering a protest in a democratic manner an anti-national activity? It is the duty of the Opposition to question government policies and decisions." He also referred to a robot showcased by a private university during the Delhi summit. Rathore said, "A robot presented as being developed in India was later reported to be of Chinese origin. Shouldn't accountability be fixed on the organisers and the institution concerned? Such incidents raise questions about the country's credibility." Raising the alleged Himachal Sadan incident, Rathore said, "Police action at night without a warrant amounts to violation of privacy. Knocking on doors and conducting searches at midnight is a serious matter," and urged the Himachal government to initiate legal action against Delhi Police. He further said that the country did not belong to any one political party. "In a democracy, governments come and go, but raising people's concerns is the duty of the Opposition," he said, adding that reactions of the ruling side to issues raised by the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, in Parliament were undemocratic. Rathore said labelling criticism of the Prime Minister, ministers or ruling party policies as anti-national was against the spirit of democracy. He also sought transparency regarding the agreement with the United States and any possible pressures linked to it. "India is a sovereign nation and maintaining its dignity on international platforms is the responsibility not only of those protesting but also of the government," Rathore added. (ANI)
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