New Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi on Tuesday delivered an emotionally charged speech in Parliament, raising serious concerns over what he described as the shrinking space for justice, dissent, and minority rights in the country.
Drawing a stark contrast between official narratives and ground realities, Pratapgarhi said that while the President’s address echoed in Parliament, the sound of axes felling trees in the Hasdev forests symbolised the displacement of tribal communities.
Referring to the Ankita Bhandari case in Uttarakhand, the MP questioned why justice continues to be delayed and demanded clarity on the alleged “VIP” linked to the crime. He also cited incidents where, according to him, police action was taken against individuals promoting peace, while rioters allegedly went unpunished.
Pratapgarhi highlighted multiple recent cases to underline what he termed “selective enforcement of law,” including FIRs against people offering namaz in Bareilly, cases filed against Christians during Christmas preparations, demolition of a school in Betul, Madhya Pradesh, despite community protests, and shop demolitions in Banaras even after court stays. He also referred to the cancellation of recognition for 42 Muslim students who qualified NEET in Jammu and Kashmir.
Calling for constitutional accountability, the MP accused certain state leaders of openly violating democratic norms and warned that targeting minorities and suppressing voices of justice threatens India’s pluralistic fabric.
Concluding his speech, Pratapgarhi said that history would judge governments not by slogans, but by how they protected the vulnerable and upheld constitutional values.
Drawing a stark contrast between official narratives and ground realities, Pratapgarhi said that while the President’s address echoed in Parliament, the sound of axes felling trees in the Hasdev forests symbolised the displacement of tribal communities.
Referring to the Ankita Bhandari case in Uttarakhand, the MP questioned why justice continues to be delayed and demanded clarity on the alleged “VIP” linked to the crime. He also cited incidents where, according to him, police action was taken against individuals promoting peace, while rioters allegedly went unpunished.
Pratapgarhi highlighted multiple recent cases to underline what he termed “selective enforcement of law,” including FIRs against people offering namaz in Bareilly, cases filed against Christians during Christmas preparations, demolition of a school in Betul, Madhya Pradesh, despite community protests, and shop demolitions in Banaras even after court stays. He also referred to the cancellation of recognition for 42 Muslim students who qualified NEET in Jammu and Kashmir.
Calling for constitutional accountability, the MP accused certain state leaders of openly violating democratic norms and warned that targeting minorities and suppressing voices of justice threatens India’s pluralistic fabric.
Concluding his speech, Pratapgarhi said that history would judge governments not by slogans, but by how they protected the vulnerable and upheld constitutional values.