The Congress on Saturday asked why those sitting in power are scared of naming China which has entered Indian territory, and said every Congress worker and every Indian is proud of the armed forces.
Talking to reporters after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address, Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also said all Indians should ask the government this Independence Day what it was doing to protect the country and push China back.
In his speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort, the prime minister said India's soldiers had given a fitting reply to those who had challenged the country's sovereignty, from "LoC to LAC". Modi, who did not name China, added that the whole country is united in protecting the sovereignty of the country.
"Each and every Congress worker and all 130 crore Indians are proud of our armed forces and have full faith in them. We salute the armed forces for giving China an apt reply every time there has been an attack. But what about those who are sitting in power. Why are they scared of mentioning China's name?" Surjewala asked.
"At a time when China has entered Indian territory, every Indian needs to ask the government what it is doing to push China back and protect the country. On this Independence Day they should ask this. That is the true sense of democracy," the Congress leader added.
He said it is important to question the government on whether it believes in the mandate of the people and if there is freedom to speak freely in the country.
"Does our government believe in democracy? Does our government believe in public opinion. Do we have the freedom to speak, think, to travel, to wear what we like, to earn our livelihood or has that been curbed," Surjewala said.
The foundation of an 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India), he said, was laid by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and our freedom fighters.
"But a government which is selling public sector undertakings, handing over railways and airports to private players and attacking everything from LIC to FCI, will that government be able to keep the freedom of this country safe. It is the duty of the government and every citizen to keep the freedom of the country safe," he added.
