Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Sep 29: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday accused the Congress of "tearing apart" India's constitutional framework, particularly the Election Commission of India (ECI), and alleged that the party was attacking constitutional institutions over its political differences.
BJP National General Secretary Smriti Irani, in an apparent reference to Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, cited a statement attributed to a former Congress national president in 2019, saying the party had vowed to make every effort to tarnish Prime Minister Narendra Modi's image.
"Prime Minister Modi has repeatedly said that they may mock him or attack him, but this attack by Congress should not turn into an attack on constitutional institutions and the democracy of India. However, the leadership of the Congress Party is leaving no stone unturned to tear apart the constitutional framework of India," Irani said at a press conference.
Defending the ECI amid the ongoing controversy, Irani said the poll panel strengthened India's electoral system and was a source of pride for the country.
"As a citizen of India, I would like to say that the Election Commission strengthens the country's electoral system; it is India's pride which several countries across the world have hailed," she said.
Irani alleged that the Congress was "distressed" because people in the country were not supporting the party.
"Therefore, instead of analysing their defeat, the Congress party is attacking the Election Commission," she said.
She also questioned the Congress' position on the ECI in states such as Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala and Karnataka, where the BJP is not in power.
"The question arises whether, in states like Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala, and Karnataka—where there are no Bharatiya Janata Party governments—the Congress leadership is giving a clean chit to the Election Commission there, or if they are raising question marks over the activities of the Election Commission in those states as well?" Irani asked.
Referring to the Congress' statement following the meeting of its Congress Working Committee (CWC), Irani said the party leadership had referred to 13.30 crore names, "regarding which the Election Commission has already issued its statement on September 26".
She questioned the Congress' objections to electoral roll revisions if the rolls contained duplicate entries or names of deceased persons.
"If the electoral rolls consist of duplication of voters and include names of the deceased, then why does the leadership of the Congress party again want the names of deceased people to be restored in the electoral rolls? Why does the Congress party want duplicate names to remain in the electoral rolls?" she said.
Irani also criticised the Congress for referring to the Lahore Congress session and invoked the historical role of A.O. Hume, one of the founders of the Indian National Congress.
Referring to Hume's role as a British civil servant, she claimed it was historically documented that he had discussed with the then Viceroy that the formation of the Congress was necessary to provide protection to the British Empire.
"The party which was formed for the protection of the British government is today attacking the country's Election Commission by mentioning the Lahore Congress session. There cannot be anything more shameful than this," Irani said.
This keeps the political claims clearly attributed rather than presenting them as independently established facts.