The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) concerning Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s contentious remarks made during the INDIA bloc’s rally. Gandhi, addressing the ‘Loktantra Bachao’ rally, leveled serious allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of orchestrating a “fixed match” scenario in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Gandhi asserted that if the BJP were to secure victory through alleged manipulation and subsequently amend the Constitution, it would lead to catastrophic consequences for the nation. He further claimed that the BJP’s slogan of “400 paar” was unattainable without resorting to such tactics, likening the situation to cricket match-fixing.
Highlighting the recent freezing of Congress’s accounts by the Income Tax Department, Gandhi lamented the challenges faced by the opposition party in conducting its election campaign effectively.
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, representing the BJP, expressed strong objection to Gandhi’s statements, characterizing them as baseless and potentially damaging to the electoral process. Puri cited Gandhi’s allegations of government influence within the Election Commission, insinuations regarding the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), and claims of constitutional rights infringement as particularly concerning.
Moreover, Puri raised concerns about a contentious social media post by Gandhi, where he purportedly misrepresented remarks attributed to Prime Minister Modi, accusing him of supporting perpetrators of sexual assault.
Responding to the BJP’s complaint, Puri condemned what he described as a “low-level political discourse” and speculated about Gandhi’s frustration amid reports of fractures within his political coalition.
The ‘Loktantra Bachao’ rally witnessed a convergence of opposition leaders from various political parties, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, and representatives from the NCP, Shiv Sena, Samajwadi Party, CPI(M), CPI, PDP, National Conference, and Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren.
