BJP destroying every single thing this country is built upon: TMC’s Mahua

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New Delhi, Feb 04, 2020: Mahua Moitra on Monday targeted the government over fielding BJP MP Parvesh Verma to speak first in the Lok Sabha.

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra spoke to The Indian Express on why her party felt the need to move amendments to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address and why she accused the government of demonising dissent.

The Trinamool Congress has never moved amendments to the President’s speech. What changed this time?

We have never moved amendments to the President’s speech as a mark of respect for constitutional authority. But this time the issues were so stark, so divisive that we felt the need to move amendments. My senior colleague Sougata Roy has therefore moved amendments.

In your speech in the House, you accused the government of “demonising dissent”. Why did you say that?

Look at what (Union minister) Anurag Thakur said. He exhorts people to shoot! These are our daadis, our children. Are they terrorists? Also look at the appallingly poor taste, the brazenness of fielding somebody (BJP MP Parvesh Verma) who is banned for 96 hours by the EC to open the debate in Lok Sabha when that time is not even over. This is sticking a finger in the eye of every Indian.

But don’t you think the repeated references to Shaheen Bagh are benefitting BJP in the Delhi elections?

This is not about the Delhi Assembly elections. Every day they are destroying every single thing that this country is built upon. It is lies and suppression of facts when it comes to issues such as the economy and jobs. On the other side is the stoking of fear in the name of religion. Shaheen Bagh is just a manifestation of the anger. They should remember that greater mandates than their 303 have been reduced to zero by the people.

But, as the government repeatedly points out, the Citizenship Amendment Act that the opposition is protesting against now, has been passed by Parliament.

They have the numbers, they have the majority. They can do what they want. Tomorrow if they want to put 356 and divide Darjeeling, we can only watch. It’s a question of moral authority. You have the rope, you decide whether you use it to hang people or to draw water from a well.

Is you party in touch with other Opposition parties for the passage of the amendments?

That I cannot say. My party leaders will talk about that.