New Delhi: In a veiled attack on the NDA-led dispensation, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said on Wednesday that with “clouds of hate and division” hovering over secular and liberal forces, “forces of darkness” are trying to destroy the roots of democracy.

Speaking in a discussion in Lok Sabha to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement, Ms Gandhi, who spoke in Hindi, said that the people of the country will have to fight for India in which they believe, which is loved by one and all and which was envisioned by its freedom fighters.

It should not be forgotten, she said, that there were people and organisations which had opposed the Quit India Movement and made no contribution to the country’s freedom. Though the Congress president did not name any party or organisation, her reference to the RSS was quite obvious. The Hindutva outfit, considered to be the BJP’s political and ideological mentor, has been accused of not playing any role in the freedom struggle.

Ms Gandhi’s remarks evoked a sharp response from first-time MP from Chandigarh, Kirron Kher, who could be heard shouting, “Sad, travesty of Parliament.” 

Congress MPs shouted her down, and even BJP members were seen asking her not to speak when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present in the House.

The Congress chief used her speech in Lok Sabha to underline the contributions of the Congress and Jawaharlal Nehru to the landmark episode in India’s struggle for Independence and also attacked the ruling BJP, accused by her party of communalism.

“We will not allow the idea of India to be a prisoner to narrow mindedness and communal ideology. Today it looks like secularism and free speech are in danger. If we have to preserve freedom, we’ll have to defeat forces endangering it. We can’t and we won’t allow sectarian forces to succeed,” she said.