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New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday stepped up its attack on the Congress over its criticism of the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, with party national general secretary Smriti Irani questioning the opposition party’s objections to the deletion and verification of duplicate and deceased voters.
Addressing the media at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, Irani accused the Congress of attacking the Election Commission instead of examining the reasons behind its electoral defeats.
“Instead of reviewing the reasons behind its electoral defeats, the Congress is attacking the Election Commission,” Irani said.
She questioned whether the Congress also had reservations about the Election Commission in states where the BJP is not in power.
“The question now arises: in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala and Karnataka, where the Bharatiya Janata Party is not in government, is the Congress leadership giving a clean chit to the Election Commission? Or is it also raising questions about the Election Commission’s activities in these states?” she said.
A major part of Irani’s intervention centred on the 13.30 crore names cited by the Congress in its criticism of the electoral-roll exercise. She said the Election Commission had already issued a clarification on the issue and that Booth Level Officers would visit households and collect documents for verification in cases involving duplicate or deceased names.
“If a person’s name is duplicated in the electoral roll or the name of a deceased person is included, why does the Congress party want the names of deceased persons to be restored?” Irani said.
She added: “Why does the Congress party want duplicate names to continue in the electoral roll?”
Irani said the Election Commission had clarified that where notices had been issued in connection with the SIR, Booth Level Officers would visit the concerned households, collect the necessary documents and verify them.
“When the Election Commission has already made this clarification publicly, why does the Congress party leadership once again want the names of deceased persons to remain restored in the electoral roll?” she asked.
“Why does the Congress party want to ensure that duplicate names remain in the electoral roll?” she added.
The BJP has sought to portray the Congress’s campaign against the Election Commission as an attack on a constitutional institution. Irani said the poll panel strengthened India’s democratic system and described it as a matter of pride for Indian democracy.
“The Election Commission strengthens India’s democratic system and is a matter of pride for Indian democracy,” she said, adding that India’s democratic processes were respected by several countries.
Irani also invoked Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019, saying that political attacks should not extend to constitutional institutions.
She said Rahul Gandhi had then stated that he would make every possible effort to tarnish Modi’s image. According to Irani, Modi had responded that the Congress could attack him politically but should not attack India’s democracy and constitutional bodies.
“However, the Congress party leadership is leaving no stone unturned in undermining India’s constitutional institutions,” Irani said.
She also attacked the Congress over its reference to the Lahore Congress session, invoking the historical origins of the organisation and the role of A.O. Hume.
Irani said that if the Congress wanted to “turn the pages of history”, it should also present before the people the historical document relating to Hume and the British Empire.
“The Congress party that was formed for the protection of the British Empire is today attacking the Election Commission of India by invoking the Lahore Congress Session,” she said.
“There could be nothing more shameful than this,” Irani added.