Rahul Gandhi fumes at PM Modi's remarks on citizens' duties: 'Democracy without rights?'

Fuming at PM Modi for his remarks on citizens' duties and rights, ex-Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Saturday, questioned how the world's largest democracy can function without public rights. Listing Right to Food, Education, Employment and Information, he questioned how India can function without these fundamental rights. Accusing the Modi government of destroying citizens' rights, he questioned which rights does the PM object to and why.

Rahul Gandhi: 'What is point of democracy without public rights?'

"What's the point of the world's largest democracy without public rights? The Modi government has been trying to destroy the rights of the people from the beginning. Can you even imagine India without these rights including fundamental rights?," tweeted Gandhi. Listing UPA's laws of right to employment and right to Information, Gandhi asked, "Which of these rights does the PM object to? And why?".

Similarly, ex-Union Minister P Chidambaram termed the PM's speech as the language of those who have 'enjoyed rights'. He urged the PM to spare a thought for the sections that have historically been denied basic rights. Similarly, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi claimed that the Prime Minister had insulted our freedom fighters with his remarks adding that 'duties without rights' is slavery.

Earlier on Friday, PM Modi called for focusing on national duties rather than discussing 'rights', calling the shift from duties 'a malaise which has affected India for 75 years'. He said this while launching year-long initiatives dedicated to Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav by the Brahma Kumaris, which include more than 30 campaigns and over 15,000 programmes and events. He also asked organisations like Brahma Kumaris with international presence to work to present the right picture of India abroad and dispel rumours being spread about it.

"We also have to admit that in the 75 years after Independence, a malaise has afflicted our society, our nation and us all. The malaise is that we turned away from our duties and did not give them primacy," he said. "People only talked of their rights all these years and fought for them. Speaking of rights may be right to some extent in certain circumstances. But forgetting one's duties completely has played a huge role in keeping India weak," he added. He called for everyone to work together to discharge their duties that will remove social ills and also take India to new heights.

In his speech, PM Modi said that a society is being built that stands firmly on the foundation of equality and social justice. The coming 25 years are of hard work, sacrifice, austerity and penance, he said, adding this period of 25 years is one to get back what our society has lost in hundreds of years of slavery. Our progress lies in the progress of the nation, he asserted.