Congress Wants To 'Save Dynasty', Not Democracy: Chouhan

Panaji, Oct 2: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday hit out at the Congress over its 'Save Democracy' campaign, calling it a "Save Dynasty Yatra" and accusing the opposition party of spreading lies and creating anarchy.

Addressing media persons at Manohar International Airport, Mopa in North Goa, Chouhan defended the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying voter lists should not contain names of people who are dead, have duplicate entries or are not citizens of the country.

"Congress is starting a new drama from today -- the 'Save Democracy Yatra'. This is not a 'Save Democracy Yatra'. This is a 'Save Dynasty Yatra', a 'Save Family Yatra'," Chouhan said.

His remarks came as the Congress-led INDIA bloc has announced 'Save Democracy' marches from October 2 to 8 over its concerns regarding electoral rolls and the functioning of the Election Commission under Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Chouhan accused the Congress of spreading anarchy and lies and of "defaming the country on foreign soil".

He also attacked the Congress over the Emergency, alleging that the party had dismissed elected governments more than 50 times and changed chief ministers frequently.

On the ongoing controversy over electoral rolls, Chouhan said the voter list was the "soul of democracy" and questioned why the names of deceased persons, people with duplicate entries and non-citizens should remain on the rolls.

"If an exercise is being undertaken to clean up the voter list, Congress itself opposes it," he said.

Chouhan also claimed that Congress had lost 99 national and state elections under Rahul Gandhi's leadership.

Referring to Mahatma Gandhi's views on the future of the Congress after Independence, Chouhan claimed that Gandhi had wanted the organisation to be dissolved and transformed into a Lok Sevak Sangh.

Chouhan further claimed that Gandhi's proposal was not accepted by former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru. He said Rahul Gandhi would "ultimately prove Gandhi's statement by bringing about the end of the Congress".

"The time has come to dissolve Congress... Now the people will dissolve Congress," he said.

Chouhan also claimed that internal differences within the Goa Congress were prompting workers to leave the party.

Earlier, the Union minister congratulated Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for taking government schemes to the doorstep of people and described Goa as a model of Viksit Bharat.

On Gandhi Jayanti, he paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and said the cleanliness campaign would be taken forward with renewed enthusiasm. (Agencies)