"Congress should control these irresponsible childish antics": Yogi Adityanath
UP CM Yogi Adityanath attacks Congress and allies, calling their protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) irresponsible and anti-democratic.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a scathing attack on the Congress and its allies on Sunday, accusing them of engaging in "irresponsible and childish antics" regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. Speaking at a press conference in Lucknow, the Chief Minister alleged that the opposition is part of a continuous conspiracy to weaken India's constitutional institutions and democratic values for their own political greed.
Allegations of Undermining Democracy
Yogi Adityanath claimed that the rhetoric being used by the Congress-led UPA and its associated parties is harmful to the fabric of the world's largest democracy. He suggested that the opposition's stance on the SIR process is not based on genuine concern but is a calculated move to serve their political interests.
"The approach of the Congress and opposition parties has always been to be a part of every conspiracy to harm India's constitutional institutions and democratic values," the Chief Minister stated. He emphasized that the current outcry over the SIR is "extremely unfortunate" given the historical context of such exercises.
A History of SIR Proceedings
To counter the opposition's claims, the Chief Minister pointed out that similar revision processes have been conducted many times in the past, even during eras when the Congress party held power. He specifically cited the years 1952, 1957, 1961, 1965-66, and 2003 as periods when SIR proceedings were successfully completed.
He noted that despite these precedents, the current "hue and cry" being raised by the Congress, Samajwadi Party, RJD, and other parties is unprecedented and misguided. He argued that the opposition frequently puts the Election Commission "in the dock" whenever they face electoral setbacks.
Targeting Constitutional Institutions
The Chief Minister highlighted a pattern of the Congress party targeting various pillars of Indian democracy. He listed several instances to support his claim:
- The Judiciary: He mentioned Rahul Gandhi's comments in Cambridge regarding the Indian judiciary.
- CAG: He referred to the questions raised in 2019 concerning the CAG's observations on the Rafale issue.
- EVMs: He pointed out the irony of the Congress calling Electronic Voting Machines a "black box" despite having used them to form governments at both the Centre and in various states.
"If they win the elections, then it's their hard work. If the public dismisses them because of their corruption, financial misconduct, cunning politics or anarchic actions, then how justified is it to blame the Election Commission or the EVM for it?" Adityanath remarked, urging the opposition to engage in introspection.
Questions of Patriotism and the Emergency
In a heated exchange, the Chief Minister brought up the dark chapter of the 1975 Emergency, stating that the Congress "sinned by strangling the country's Constitution" and illegally toppling elected governments. He further questioned the patriotism of the opposition, citing their previous questioning of the Indian Army's bravery during the 2019 Balakot airstrike and Operation Sindoor.
"What kind of patriotism is this? And right now, Congress and its allies are doing the exact same irresponsible things," he added.
Clarification on the SIR Process
Addressing the confusion surrounding the Special Intensive Revision, Yogi Adityanath noted that the Election Commission has already provided clarity. He mentioned that all three election commissioners had addressed the press to clarify the situation and provide directions regarding the SIR. He further noted that the Honourable Supreme Court had justified the Election Commission's actions regarding Form Six, and that all voters who missed out have full permission to fill out the necessary forms.