New Delhi, Sep 26 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday hit back at the Congress over its allegations against the Election Commission, calling it “shameful” and accusing the grand old party of attempting to attain power at any cost.
This follows the Election Commission of India (ECI) issuing a press release after its afternoon meeting to quell reports of internal differences and clarify the context in which ECI functionaries wrote a letter to the Cabinet Secretary.
Addressing a press conference, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad accused the Congress and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi of making “baseless and shameful” allegations against the Election Commission.
“This is very unfortunate, and we condemn it. Today, the Election Commission issued a press note stating that the process was conducted with the consent of the Chief Election Commissioner and both Election Commissioners,” he said.
Citing that the Supreme Court found the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls valid and legally permissible, Prasad said: “Congress, CPI-M and Trinamool Congress (undivided) had challenged the process before the Supreme Court, which approved the SIR after hearing everyone.”
Accusing the Opposition of creating a ruckus whenever they lose polls, the BJP MP said: “Does Rahul Gandhi ever think about why he was wiped out from Tamil Nadu? Does Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi ever think about why they’ve been wiped out from Bengal for the last 40 years?… Today they are running from pillar to post, hoping that Akhilesh Yadav will form an alliance with them in Uttar Pradesh, but the latter isn’t even giving them time.”
“Why does Rahul Gandhi keep banging his head over his own failures and over his party’s weaknesses?” he remarked.
Ravi Shankar Prasad further highlighted that the Supreme Court also allowed Form 6 of the SIR process.
“Did the Election Commission not exist during the 50 years of the Congress party’s rule? Did it not exist during the Communist and the DMK’s reign in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, respectively? When Akhilesh Yadav or his father became Chief Minister of UP and Lalu Yadav became CM of Bihar multiple times, was it without the Election Commission?” the BJP leader questioned.
Accusing the LoP of defaming the ECI and being jealous of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said: “Rahul Gandhi, you are a ‘non-serious politician.’ The people of the country do not take you seriously.”
Echoing a similar view, BJP MP Sambit Patra said the press release issued after the meeting of the three Election Commissioners today “has clarified the allegations levelled by the Congress”.
“The Congress party was attacking constitutional institutions for its own interests and seeking to undermine their credibility,” he alleged.
Referring to the allegation that the BJP was using the Election Commission as a “pawn” to defend itself, Patra called it a “conspiracy” by the Congress to “weaken the country’s constitutional institutions”.
“The people know why the Opposition is doing all this. Rahul Gandhi’s sole objective is to come to power at any cost. Since Rahul Gandhi has been unable to attain power, he is attacking the Election Commission, the Supreme Court, and India’s constitutional institutions. His motto seems to be: ‘If we cannot win, let us disrupt the entire democratic system’,” Patra alleged.
–IANS
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