"Nothing could be more shameful": Smriti Irani slams Congress over ECI attacks
BJP leader Smriti Irani hits out at Congress for attacking the Election Commission and undermining India's democratic institutions.
In a scathing attack on the Congress leadership, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Smriti Irani has accused the opposition of attempting to dismantle India's constitutional framework. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Irani claimed that instead of reflecting on their electoral losses, the Congress party is choosing to undermine the integrity of the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Attacking Institutions Instead of Opponents
Irani emphasized that while political disagreement is a fundamental part of a healthy democracy, targeting the pillars of the nation is unacceptable. She invoked the long-standing stance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting that while he welcomes criticism of his leadership, he remains firm against assaults on democratic institutions.
"Prime Minister Modi has repeatedly said: criticise him, attack him, but do not let this attack turn into an assault on constitutional institutions and India's democracy," Irani stated. She further alleged that the Congress leadership is actively working to tear apart the country's constitutional structure.
The Controversy Over Voter List Revisions
A central point of the confrontation involves the recent updates to electoral rolls. The Congress party has raised concerns regarding the revision of voter lists, which involves approximately 13.3 crore entries. However, Irani pointed out that the Election Commission has already provided a clear explanation regarding these updates.
According to the BJP leader, the process involves:
- Door-to-door verification conducted by Booth Level Officers (BLOs).
- The removal of duplicate entries to ensure electoral purity.
- The deletion of names of deceased voters from the rolls.
Irani questioned the opposition's logic in fighting these clean-up efforts, asking why the Congress party would want deceased individuals or duplicate entries to remain in the system. She also challenged the party's consistency, asking if they hold the ECI to the same standards in states governed by non-BJP parties, such as Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala, and Karnataka.
A Historical Jab at Congress Origins
In a sharp rhetorical move, Irani addressed historical references made by the opposition. She reminded the audience of the origins of the Indian National Congress, citing the role of British official A.O. Hume in its formation to serve colonial interests.
"A Congress party that was created for the protection of the British Empire is today attacking the Election Commission of India... Nothing could be more shameful than this," she remarked.
Congress Demands Resignations Amid ECI Reports
The heated exchange comes on the heels of significant demands from the Congress party. During a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party passed a resolution demanding the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The opposition's demands were triggered by media reports suggesting internal dissent within the Election Commission. Specifically, the Congress party is calling for:
- The resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
- An immediate halt to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in various states.
- The reinstatement of over 13 lakh voter names that were removed during the recent revision process.
These demands follow reports indicating that two Election Commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, raised numerous procedural and legal objections against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, including labeling certain modifications to Form 6 as illegal.