Pondy CM ends fast, says more agitations against BJP coming

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and his ministerial colleagues observed a nine-hour fast here on Friday to condemn the Uttar Pradesh police for its 'reckless' behaviour against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, when they were proceeding to meet a rape victim's family. The fast was only the first stage of protest against the "undemocratic" style of functioning of the Bharatiya Janata party, Narayanasamy said,winding up the protest.

Territorial Congress chief A V Subramanian presided over the fast while delegates of youth and students wings of the Congress were among those who participated in the protest called by the national party. Party sources said the fast which commenced at 8 am ended at 5 pm.

Narayanasamy condemned the police action on Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra saying it was a clear "exposure of jungle Raj and Hitler Raj in Uttar Pradesh." The Congress leaders said the police action against the AICC leader was a "reckless, undemocratic and a clear attempt to trample upon the basic democratic rights." Rahul, Priyanka and around 150 of their party workers were briefly detained in Greater Noida on Thursday for alleged violation of prohibitory orders while walking towards Hathras in Uttar Pradesh to meet a Dalit rape victim's family. The 19-year-old Dalit woman was allegedly raped at a village in Hathras by four men on September 14.

After her condition deteriorated, she was referred to the Delhi's Safdarjung hospital where she died on Tuesday. She was cremated in the early hours of Wednesday, with her family alleging the local police forced them to conduct the last rites in the dead of the night.

The Chief Minister said the Secular Democratic Alliance would keep holding such agitations in future also to protest against the alleged undemocratic style of functioning of the BJP government at the Centre. He accused the Centre of unleashing atrocities on minorities, downtrodden, farmers, fishermen and others.

"What has happened in Uttar Pradesh now (no security for Dalits) will spread to other states. Hence, we should prevent mayhem of democracy through sustained stirs," he said. He said the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath should own moral responsibility for the alleged atrocity against a woman of marginalised section in that state and quit office.

Narayanasamy said a CBI probe should be ordered into the alleged rape. Hitting out at the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre,Narayanasamy said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been making tall claims that he was championing concept of cooperative federalism.

But in practice,basic democratic rights of the people were grabbed by the Centre and rights and privileges of States in fiscal matters were also trampled upon, he alleged. Narayanasamy claimed Puducherry has been let down by the Centre which has not sanctioned its share as compensation under the GST (goods and services tax).

"For the last six months, as much as Rs 900 crore has been due under compensation for implementing GST in the Union Territory. Despite our repeated pleas nothing has been done," he said. Narayanasamy further said he would raise this matter in the meeting of the GST council scheduled for October 5.