Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Dec 9: The Lok Sabha saw a stormy session as Congress MP Rahul Gandhi launched a sharp attack on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), accusing it of “systematically seeking to dominate India’s institutions” and asserting that “there is no bigger anti-national act than vote chori.” His remarks came during a discussion on electoral reforms and sparked loud protests from ruling party members, prompting repeated interventions by Speaker Om Birla.
Gandhi claimed that the RSS, in coordination with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has undermined key democratic institutions, beginning with the Election Commission of India (ECI). He highlighted three areas of concern: education, investigative agencies, and the Election Commission.
To substantiate his points, Gandhi raised several questions: why the Chief Justice of India was removed from the panel selecting Election Commissioners, why the government granted unprecedented immunity to Election Commissioners in December 2023, and why CCTV footage of polling stations is destroyed after 45 days. According to him, these measures weaken transparency and allow manipulation, with the ECI allegedly colluding with those in power to influence elections.
He further accused investigative agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate (ED), National Investigation Agency (NIA), and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), of being compromised, with appointments targeting opposition voices. Gandhi also cited ideological influence in universities, claiming Vice Chancellors are selected based on affiliation rather than merit or scientific temper.
Invoking history, Gandhi referenced Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination in 1948, arguing that the RSS project post-independence aimed to dismantle the vision of an equal India and erode people-centric institutions. “These are uncomfortable truths, but they have to be spoken,” he said despite repeated interruptions from the treasury benches.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticized Gandhi for straying from the subject of electoral reforms, and speaker Om Birla reminded him to confine his speech to the debate at hand.
Gandhi also highlighted alleged electoral irregularities, such as a Brazilian woman appearing 22 times on the voter list in Haryana, as evidence of a distorted electoral process. Despite the controversy, he maintained that exposing these issues was necessary to safeguard India’s democratic institutions.
The session underscored deep opposition concerns over institutional integrity, even as the government emphasized the need to focus the discussion strictly on electoral reforms.