New Delhi, Oct 30 (PTI) The Congress on Friday said it is not at all surprising that the BJP ecosystem organised a mock parliament as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have consistently “mocked” Parliament since 2014.

Participants took on the roles of senior political leaders as the mock parliament on the theme ‘Democracy vs Anarchy’ began at the NDMC Convention Centre in Delhi on Friday, with discussions centred on electoral integrity, democratic institutions, and political accountability.

Organised by citizens’ group Citizens for Democracy, the session sought to recreate parliamentary proceedings, with participants engaging in debates, raising questions, and presenting arguments on contemporary political and constitutional issues.

Reacting to the development, Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said, “It is not at all surprising that the BJP ecosystem organised a mock Parliament today. After all, the PM-HM have consistently mocked Parliament since 2014, bulldozing Bills through, denying debates on urgent issues of public importance, denigrating Parliamentary institutions and converting both chambers into arenas for self-glorification.”

In December 2023, a bill to provide an unprecedented life-long immunity to the Chief Election Commissioner was pushed through both houses while 145 Opposition MPs had been suspended, Ramesh recalled.

“Soon thereafter, Gyanesh Kumar was positioned as CEC to implement the nefarious Modi-Shah designs to strip crores of Indians of their Constitutional right to vote,” he said.

Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said, “BJP-sponsored outfits holding a ‘mock Parliament’ after 12 years of BJP making a mockery of Parliament itself.”

“First treat Parliament as a rubber-stamp to steamroll Bills and silence the Opposition, and now run a ‘mock Parliament’ to make a cruel joke of democracy itself. Waah Modi ji, Waah!” he said on X.

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the role of the Election Commission and allegations of ‘vote theft’ also featured among the issues taken up during the simulated parliamentary proceedings.

Meanwhile, the INDIA bloc’s “public impeachment” of CEC Gyanesh Kumar has been postponed to October 31 due to the rains here. PTI ASK ZMN

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