In what seems to be an attempt to showcase its protest against the recent parliament washout, in an emotional way, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead lawmakers of the BJP in a daylong fast today. The Congress party blames the washout to be the ruling party game. “I will also hold a fast, but I will continue my work,” said PM Modi, who will go to work and is also visiting Tamil Nadu for the opening of the Defence Expo.

The Prime Minister urged all BJP parliamentarians and legislators to take part in the fast and “expose the handful of people who had throttled democracy” by disrupting the budget session. He delivered this message through audio mode.

“Those who couldn’t gain power in 2014, don’t want the country to move forward. They didn’t let parliament work for a single day. They killed democracy and we will observe the fast to expose them in front of the world,” he said through teleconference, addressing MPs to mark social reformer Jyotiba Phule’s birth anniversary.

While some of the ministers will be in Delhi to take part in the fast, many will have to travel to other cities or at least their home states for the nationwide protest. Amit Shah will protest by fasting in Hubli in Karnataka where elections are slated to be held in May 12.

In an earlier announcement, the BJP had said that all MPs of the ruling National Democratic Alliance would forego their salaries and allowances for at least 23 days due to the budget session disaster.

Congress leaders who were being led by Rahul Gandhi had observed a day’s fast at Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial Rajghat to protest against the ongoing violence during a “Bharat Bandh” called by Dalit groups protesting against what they believe the dilution of a law meant to protect them from atrocities.

The Congress fast was widely covered by the media, all for the wrong reasons. A few of its leaders, which include Delhi Chief Ajay Maken, were also seen having a big breakfast at a restaurant in photos that were shared over the internet. The party also removed two leaders accused of leading rioters during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, from the state at the protest site before Rahul Gandhi’s arrival.

But, if seen, from another perspective, the holding of fasts by these political parties is not going to solve problems being faced by the common people. These fasts become stage shows by catching headlines without getting any solid solution for the issues. As there were voices recently about participative democracy, more people and parties need to stand for a healthy democracy.

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