"Rahul Gandhi doesn't lie": KC Venugopal hits back at Nadda
KC Venugopal slams JP Nadda for defending the CEC and accuses the government of conspiring to sabotage democracy amid the SIR row.
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal has launched a scathing counter-attack against Union Minister JP Nadda, defending Rahul Gandhi's integrity and accusing the government of attempting to "whitewash" the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) amidst the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) controversy.
Truth established by Election Commissioners
The political standoff escalated on Monday as Venugopal responded to Nadda’s recent claims that the Opposition has been spreading falsehoods regarding the Election Commission. Nadda had previously stated that the EC had exposed the "lies" of the Opposition and remarked that repeating a falsehood does not make it the truth.
"Rahul Gandhi doesn't tell any lie. He tells the truth only," Venugopal asserted. He further claimed that the validity of Rahul Gandhi's concerns has been validated by the observations made by two Election Commissioners, rather than being mere political rhetoric from Congress leadership.
Accusations of Democracy Sabotage
Venugopal directed his sharpest criticism toward Nadda's defense of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. He alleged that the government's stance is a calculated attempt to protect the CEC from scrutiny.
"Whatever Rahul Gandhi is saying about the Chief Election Commissioner has now become truth. Nadda is actually trying to whitewash Gyanesh Kumar," Venugopal said. He accused the leadership of conspiring with the Prime Minister and the Home Minister to undermine democratic processes, specifically pointing to the CEC bypassing observations made by other Election Commissioners.
The Congress leader further alleged that the current corrections being made to the SIR Form 6 serve as an admission of guilt by the electoral authorities.
Nationwide Protests and Political Unrest
The controversy has triggered widespread agitation across India. Venugopal confirmed that Congress workers are conducting protests at more than 1,000 locations nationwide on Monday. This movement is a direct response to what the party describes as the anti-constitutional activities of the Election Commission.
The discontent has reportedly spread to several states, with Venugopal noting significant public anger regarding the conduct of elections in:
- Haryana
- Maharashtra
- Bihar
He noted a growing sentiment among the public that recent elections, including the 2024 general elections, were marred by irregularities.
Upcoming Strategic Meetings
As the political tension mounts, the Congress party is preparing for high-level deliberations. The Congress Working Committee is set to meet on Tuesday to map out the party's next steps regarding the EC issue. Additionally, an INDIA bloc meeting is scheduled for September 30 to coordinate a collective response.
Addressing the absence of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav from the upcoming INDIA bloc meeting, Venugopal clarified that Yadav has prior commitments regarding Rajya Sabha election nominations, though senior leaders from the SP are expected to attend.