Congress leader and former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday targeted the BJP government at the Centre, claiming that “democracy is in danger” and the country is being ruled through federal agencies such as the ED and the CBI.

 The upcoming Lok Sabha election is about keeping democracy alive in the country, he said at a public meeting in Sikar after CPI(M) candidate Amraram filed his nomination papers. The Congress has left two seats for its alliance partners – Sikar for the CPI(M) and Nagaur for the RLP.

 At the meeting, Gehlot said, “The country is being governed through ED, Income Tax and CBI. The situation in the country is very grave, democracy is in danger and the Constitution framed by Bhimrao Ambedkar is being crushed.”

“It is a worrying situation which some people understand and if you don’t then everyone will repent in the times to come,” the senior Congress leader said.

 Referring to various public welfare schemes that were initiated by his government in Rajasthan, Gehlot said, “Even after doing everything, we could not form government following the assembly elections due to the misconceptions spread and false allegations made by BJP leaders.”

While mentioning the electoral bonds scheme, struck down by the Supreme Court last month, the former chief minister claimed that he has been saying since 2019 that electoral bonds were “institutional corruption and the biggest graft after Independence”.

 CPI(M) candidate Amraram filed his nomination papers in the presence of the party’s Politburo member Brinda Karat, state Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra and Sikar MLA Rajendra Pareek.