Indian Opposition Leaders Mark Independence Day with Criticism of BJP-led Government

CHENNAI: The leaders of the CPI, CPM and the Congress marked the 80th Independence Day on Saturday with a shared message, invoking their parties’ role in the freedom struggle while accusing the BJP-led Centre of endangering India’s democracy, secularism and Constitution. The Congress and CPI also condemned the alleged caste discrimination faced by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, calling it an act of untouchability. CPI national general secretary D Raja, hoisting the national flag at the party headquarters, accused the current government of putting democracy, secularism, the Constitution and equality at risk, and said attacks on minorities, Dalits and tribal people had increased. On the Kharge issue, he alleged Sangh Parivar members had “purified” a venue after the Congress president attended an event there. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president Manickam Tagore, hoisting the flag at Sathyamurthy Bhavan, called the Kharge incident “highly condemnable”and alleged those responsible had faced no arrest or action. “Untouchability and hate politics are closely linked,” he said.