Kharge calls CEC BJP puppet, vows to protect right to vote
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge slams the CEC, accusing the Modi government of hollowing out democracy and manipulating voter lists.
In a scathing attack during the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in New Delhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of being a "puppet" of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Addressing the gathering on Tuesday, Kharge alleged that the Modi government has spent the last 12 years systematically dismantling the democratic foundations of the nation through calculated conspiracies.
Allegations of voter list manipulation
Kharge raised serious concerns regarding the integrity of the electoral process, claiming that names are being intentionally removed from voter lists. He argued that these deletions are not accidental but are part of a broader conspiracy to undermine the democratic spirit of India. According to the Congress leader, the role of the Election Commission, which should be a guardian of the people's mandate, has shifted significantly.
"The protector has turned into the predator," Kharge remarked, questioning how the nation can maintain trust in a Chief Election Commissioner who lacks the confidence of his own colleagues. He further questioned the transparency of the institution, asking why certain Election Commissioners were excluded from the Internal Portal and if secretive decisions were being made behind closed doors.
Invoking the legacy of Ambedkar and Nehru
To underscore the gravity of his claims, Kharge cited the words of Babasaheb Ambedkar from the Constituent Assembly debates on June 15, 1949. He reminded the assembly that Ambedkar viewed the universal franchise as the most fundamental element of democracy, asserting that no citizen should be excluded from voter lists due to the prejudice of a local government or the whim of an officer.
He noted that leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Ambedkar fought for the right to vote to ensure the voices of the poor and marginalized were heard. Kharge argued that today, officers are arbitrarily deleting names at the behest of the ruling government, directly contradicting the vision of India's founding fathers.
Congress's five-point demand for electoral transparency
As the country prepares for crucial state elections in 2027, the Congress party has outlined five specific demands to restore faith in the electoral process:
- Public Data: All major changes made to voter lists must be made available to the public.
- Right to Appeal: Voters whose names have been removed must receive full information regarding the deletion and be given a clear opportunity to appeal.
- Timely Access: Political parties must be provided with voter lists and essential data in a simple, accessible format without delay.
- Independent Investigation: Any evidence of serious discrepancies in the voter lists must trigger an independent and time-bound investigation.
- Complete Transparency: Crucial data and decisions related to the election process must be transparent to prevent any claims of information being hidden.
Kharge concluded by stating that the party's goal is not to weaken democratic institutions, but to ensure they are strong and credible enough to earn the trust of both the ruling party and the opposition. He emphasized that securing every citizen's vote is essential to maintaining the common people's trust in India's democratic process.