Democracy in peril, let's rescue it: KCR

"Never in the history of the world's largest democracy,that is India, had a Prime Minister, as in the case of Narendra Modi, openly disclosed that the MLAs in the Trinamool Congress-ruled West Bengal headed by Mamata Banerjee were in direct contact with him to defect to BJP," said Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao. Revealing this at a press conference on Pragathi Bhavan (CM Camp Office) in Hyderabad on November3, supported by audio, video-based evidence in which three persons (supposed to be agents of BJP) attempted to bribe four TRS MLAs, KCR remarked that it was most unfortunate and disgraceful.

In the context of BJP's modus operandi of attempted bribe of four TRS MLAs recently and also referring to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's threats during his visit to Munugodu of creating Eknath Shindes in Telangana, KCR, taking strong objection, disclosed about Modi's toppling plans of duly elected opposition governments in the states.Chief Minister KCR said a 24-member big mafia gang worked as a daily routine in poaching MLAs from other parties to BJP and toppling the elected governments.

In the videos, copies of which were made available to media, the accused explicitly disclosed how MLAs in Karnataka were influenced, how they were disguised as daily labourers, taken in a tractor and flown to Mumbai, where they were given money. Involvement of bigwigs right from union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president JP Nadda and National General Secretary BL Santosh was mentioned clearly. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is always kept in loop about the developments, according to the conversation in the video.

The accused openly claimed that eight governments were toppled and four more, including Telangana, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan, were in line with the operations being executed simultaneously. "How dare they to come to Hyderabad and conspire to topple my government? Why should I tolerate this," KCR asked. The source of this huge money running in to crores used for poaching and then toppling governments should be probed by the ED, demanded KCR. The State succeeded in apprehending the three agents red-handed and exposed them. The evidence is before the courts.

Commencing his press meet, KCR said that he was holding the meet with a heavy heart and amidst unfortunate circumstances, the kind of which he had never seen in his 45-50 years of public life. He said that the BJP, in eight years of its rule had wrecked all the systems in the country besides divisive and communal politics polluting Indian culture and social fabric of India built over a period. Critically unfolding all these harsh realities and citing the illegal modes of campaigning, rumors and allegations levelled by the BJP during Munugodu by-election, he questioned what was happening to democracy in the country. The certain level of dignity to be adhered to by those in politics is totally missing, said an anguished KCR, adding that the BJP had no respect for the four pillars of democracy.

The CM expressed surprise how one of those shown in the video claimed they would remain in power as long as EVMs were used. This shows that they have scant respect for the judiciary and people's court as well. Saying that this cannot be tolerated, CM KCR urged the judiciary not to treat it as an isolated case and unless it is stopped, there would be a very unhealthy situation in the country which might be beyond correction.

Taking the video conversation as evidence, KCR questioned how these agents, who are unconstitutional authorities, could offer contracts, protection from central agencies and even central security as well as a bright political future in their bid of toppling governments. How can they make such promises confidently if they are not backed by the topmost authorities in the Centre, he asked. Then, what was the purpose of the whole laborious process of periodical elections if this was the state of affairs, questioned KCR. In the midst of all this, the TRS candidate won with a comfortable majority the Munugodu Assembly bye-election, defeating the BJP candidate, whom the BJP took into its fold recently and made him resign the seat won on Congress ticket, thereby causing bye-election.

CM KCR after exposing BJP's conspiracies, in particular to the recent developments in Telangana State and in general to the country, to topple State governments, announced that he is sending video-based and other documented evidence to Chief Justice of India UU Lalit, all Supreme Court judges and CJIs of all High Courts, all Chief Ministers, apart from agencies like ED, CBI and CVC, DGPs of all States and also to all prominent news agencies and national and vernacular media houses in the country. He appealed to the judiciary to step in to save the country and democracy which is in peril. He called upon the judiciary, the youth and leaders to safeguard democracy and the country and said that people should know and be aware of the dangerous conspiracies being hatched by the BJP and the consequences of it.

KCR cited the example of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, considered to be unconquerable after India's victory over Pakistan leading to formation of Bangladesh, made the mistake of imposing Emergency which cost her adversely. The result was a massive movement lead by Jayaprakash Narayana which was supported by one and all. Similarly, KCR said that, it is time that the entire nation, and all sections came together to condemn the BJP's maneuvers, failing which the nation would suffer. Then the result would be the nation retrograding hundred years backward.

Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao made it crystal clear that he would not sit quiet, but would continue his committed fight and go to any extent, including legal, to curtail divisive forces posing a threat to the parliamentary democratic structure and secular fabric of the country. He would soon approach like-minded leaders of all political parties who are in public life and build a movement across the country. He urged the people to remember the sacrifices of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Bhagat Singh and other freedom fighters paving way for the nation's independence and development which needs to be sustained.

KCR who put in the public domain what he called a clear evidence of a well-organized crime as part of a toppling game, taking the name of PM occasionally, also made an honest appeal to Prime Minister Modi to put an end to such conspiracies, failing which his name would remain tainted forever in India's history. KCR cautioned Modi that being a political colleague and as the Chief Minister of Telangana for the last eight years, and ever since Modi became the PM, he had been making this sincere request. He urged Modi to order an in-depth, impartial investigation into all these allegations to clear his name.

KCR also demanded a thorough probe into the claims made by the three agents in their conversation in the video, to overthrow the governments in four States. He sarcastically wanted to know what Modi was trying to achieve by bullying other political parties in spite of serving in the top post of Prime Minister twice. He reminded Modi that no one is permanent in power.

In his concluding remarks, KCR said that India is the world's largest democratic nation and should remain so. He said if efforts to destabilise the duly elected opposition governments continue unabated, it would force the political parties to divert their attention from governance to politics, thus undermining the country's development and welfare.

And hence, democracy is in peril, let us rescue it, said KCR.