PIB Fact Check Debunks Claims of Home Ministry Approaching Congress
PIB Fact Check has debunked viral claims that the Home Ministry approached Rahul Gandhi to end the protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
The Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check unit has officially debunked several viral social media posts claiming that the Union Home Ministry has reached out to Congress leaders to resolve the ongoing standoff. The misinformation suggested that officials approached Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to end their dharna at Akashvani Bhavan, which was being staged in protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
The Misleading Claims vs Reality
According to the PIB Fact Check, these claims are entirely unverified and misleading. While certain social media pages alleged that a dialogue had been initiated by the ministry to end the impasse, the reality is that the Congress leaders have maintained their stance. The opposition leaders have communicated to officials that they will continue their protest until they are granted a meeting with the Election Commissioners regarding the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
“Do not fall for misleading claims or unverified information. Rely only on verified sources,” the PIB Fact Check unit posted on X (formerly Twitter) to alert the public.
Chaos at Akashvani Bhavan
The protest erupted after leaders from various INDIA bloc parties were reportedly prevented from marching to Nirvachan Sadan. This sit-in is part of a larger "Save Democracy" campaign launched by the Opposition to challenge the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The situation on the ground has been tense, with the Delhi Police detaining several Youth Congress and NSUI leaders, including IYC President Uday Bhanu Chib, outside the protest site. The demonstrators are demanding transparency regarding the electoral rolls and the SIR process.
Rahul Gandhi’s Scathing Attack on the Centre
During the protest, Rahul Gandhi launched a fierce verbal assault on the central government, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of "hijacking" the country. He expressed frustration over the inability of opposition MPs to engage with the ECI.
"We just want to meet Gyanesh Kumar and the other election commissioners. We are all opposition MPs from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, and we just want to talk to them. Don’t know why the Election Commission does not want to talk to us. Crores of people have voted for us. We just want to ask questions, but they don’t want to answer."
Gandhi further alleged that the democratic process has been undermined, stating that the nation has realized the current administration's impact on the sanctity of the vote. He challenged the authorities, asking where in the country an opposition leader could sit if they were prevented from protesting here.
Government Hits Back
The government has not remained silent on the accusations. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticized the Congress party's tactics, describing their recent actions as "daily drama."
Rijiju argued that repeatedly targeting constitutional institutions like the Election Commission and the Supreme Court does not serve the interests of democracy. He suggested that instead of attacking these bodies, the Congress should focus on genuine public service to regain the mandate of the people.