JAMMU, SEPTEMBER 25: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former minister Bali Bhagat today launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the Congress leadership over their continuing campaign against the Election Commission and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Bhagat said the Congress cannot repeatedly accuse constitutional institutions of “vote theft” while refusing to address questions being raised over electoral rolls and its own political record.
“Rahul Gandhi and his entire political gang have turned ‘Vote Chori’ into a political slogan. But before preaching democracy to the country, they must answer questions from their own backyard. Democracy cannot run on allegations, theatrics and political narratives—it requires facts, evidence and accountability,” Bhagat said.
Taking direct aim at Rahul Gandhi, Bhagat said that repeatedly invoking the Constitution does not give anyone the right to cast unsubstantiated aspersions on constitutional institutions.
“Rahul Gandhi keeps the Constitution in his hand and lectures the country about democracy. But the Constitution is not a political prop. If you invoke the Constitution, you must also respect the institutions created under it. You cannot question every constitutional institution simply because its functioning does not fit your political narrative,” he said.
Bhagat also referred to the renewed controversy surrounding Sonia Gandhi’s reported presence in the 1980 electoral roll, before she acquired Indian citizenship in 1983.
A Delhi court recently set aside an earlier magistrate order that had rejected a request for an inquiry and sent the matter back for fresh consideration. The next hearing is scheduled for September 29. The court has not, however, established that Sonia Gandhi committed voter fraud or forgery.
“The Congress is demanding answers from the Election Commission. The country is now asking Congress to answer questions concerning its own leadership. Let the competent legal authorities examine the documents and establish the facts. But Congress cannot demand scrutiny of everyone else while objecting when questions are raised about its own side,” Bhagat said.
He added that the timing of the renewed legal scrutiny has given fresh political ammunition to the BJP as the confrontation over electoral rolls and the Election Commission intensifies.
“At a time when Congress is on the streets accusing the Election Commission of ‘Vote Chori’, this issue concerning Sonia Gandhi has once again entered public debate. That is why Congress leaders are under pressure to answer questions instead of simply changing the subject,” Bhagat said.
Bhagat also questioned what he described as Congress’ inconsistent approach to electoral-roll revision.
“When electoral-roll revision suits their political narrative, Congress leaders speak one language. When an electoral exercise becomes politically inconvenient, the entire system suddenly becomes suspect. The people deserve consistency, not selective outrage,” he said.
Referring to Rahul Gandhi’s attacks on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Bhagat said political disagreement cannot become an excuse to weaken public confidence in constitutional institutions.
“If Rahul Gandhi has evidence, let him place it before the competent constitutional and legal authorities. A press conference cannot turn an allegation into a fact. Repeating ‘Vote Chori’ a hundred times does not establish ‘Vote Chori’,” Bhagat said.
Bhagat also referred to the Election Commission’s clarification regarding its ECI Net platform, which the Commission has described as a decentralised system accessible to authorised officials through unique credentials and cybersecurity safeguards.
“The Election Commission has provided its explanation. Now those making serious allegations must provide verifiable evidence. The burden cannot simply be shifted onto the institution being accused,” he said.
Launching his strongest attack on Rahul Gandhi, Bhagat said “Rahul Gandhi and his political gang should stop treating every electoral setback as proof of a conspiracy. The people of India are mature enough to distinguish between genuine electoral concerns and political attempts to create suspicion around democratic institutions.”
Bhagat said that genuine grievances relating to elections should be pursued through constitutional and legal mechanisms rather than through political campaigns aimed at discrediting institutions.
“India’s democracy is much bigger than Rahul Gandhi, much bigger than the Congress and much bigger than any political family. The vote belongs to the people and the constitutional process belongs to the Republic. No political party should attempt to weaken public faith in democracy merely because an electoral outcome is politically inconvenient,” he said.
Concluding his statement, Bhagat challenged Congress to move beyond slogans and put documentary evidence before the appropriate authorities. “The country does not want another slogan. It wants proof. If Congress has evidence, place it before the competent authorities. If it has questions, let them be examined lawfully. But Rahul Gandhi cannot continue to make sensational allegations and expect the nation to accept every allegation as established fact,” Bhagat said.
