CPI(M) Polit Bureau member B.V. Raghavulu has voiced profound apprehension, stating that democracy in India is facing severe challenges under the current NDA government. He specifically highlighted ‘hawkish measures’ as detrimental to the nation’s democratic fabric.
Addressing a gathering organized by the Tirupati district committee on Friday, Mr. Raghavulu elaborated on his concerns. In a speech titled ‘Democracy in Danger Under Double Engine Sarkar,’ he passionately urged for immediate actions to revitalize democratic principles, emphasizing the need to restore public trust in the Indian Constitution.
Raghavulu didn’t stop at merely criticizing the ‘double engine sarkar’ (a term often used to describe the BJP government at both central and state levels); he controversially labeled it a ‘triple engine sarkar.’ He accused the BJP, along with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), of relentlessly pursuing ‘wayward alliances’ designed to serve their own narrow, ‘vested interests’ rather than the public good.
He further illustrated his point, remarking that ‘each engine is pulling in a different direction,’ a situation he believes leads to the suffering of ordinary citizens and a deviation from effective governance, primarily due to the protection of corporate interests.
As an example of governmental inaction and neglect, Mr. Raghavulu brought up the prolonged renovation work at the Tirupati railway station, which he noted has been ongoing for an astounding eleven years without completion. This, he argued, showcases a clear disregard for public infrastructure and efficiency.
He challenged Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu directly, questioning why he had not pressed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the ‘inordinate delay’ in the Tirupati railway project, especially when ‘400 railway modernization works’ had been completed across the country during the same period. The meeting concluded with the presence of District Secretary V. Nagaraju and Secretariat Member K. Murali.