NEW DELHI: Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday posed three questions alleging that Bharatiya Janta Party and Election Commission are hatching a conspiracy to steal the mandate.In his address during the electoral reform debate in Lok Sabha, the Congress leader claimed that “everything in India that exists today has emerged from the vote, and the RSS is trying to capture that.”“Today, the Election Commission of India is colluding with those in power to shape the election,” Rahul said.He asked three questions from the Centre to support his claim.”I want to ask three questions which will make it very clear that the BJP is directing and using the Election Commission to damage India’s democracy,” Rahul said.⦁ Why the Chief Justice of India was removed from the selection panel for Election Commissioners?⦁ Why, in December 2023, the government granted unprecedented immunity to Election Commissioners?⦁ Why CCTV footage of polling stations is destroyed after 45 days?During the address, Rahul said that there is “institutional capture” of the EC that directly “controls the election system of our country”.”I have given proof of how EC is colluding with those in power to shape elections,” Rahul Gandhi said. Accusing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of capturing the institutions of the nation, Rahul Gandhi said: “The project of the RSS was to capture the institutional framework of the country… Vice-chancellor after vice-chancellor is placed not on merit, not on capability, not on scientific temper, but on the fact that he belongs to a particular organisation.”He futher said: “Second capture, which helps in destroying democracy. The capture of the intelligence agencies. The capture of the CBI, of the ED, of the Income Tax Department. And the systematic placement of bureaucrats who favour their ideology and attack the opposition and anybody who chooses to oppose the RSS.”Meanwhile, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey attacked the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha and accused the past Congress governments of “tearing the Constitution apart.””‘Aaye the Hari bhajan ko, lekin oṭhan lage kapaas, Khoda pahad nikli chuhiya’. This is the same Congress that stood on the pyres of martyrs, the Congress that divided India. And today, after Rahul Gandhi’s statements, I could see them trembling and confused. They were suddenly talking about the Constitution. I have brought with me the entire debate from 1976—how Congress tore the Constitution apart, they have no answer to this,” Nishikant Dubey said.”Congress has tarnished the Constitution of India; Indira Gandhi won Raebareli by ‘vote chori’ (vote theft). We are proud to be from the RSS,” he added.
