Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, declared on Friday that the current government could be brought down if the opposition maintains its ongoing pressure over the next few days. Speaking to INDIA bloc MPs at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan, Gandhi asserted that the recent protests against the Election Commission of India (ECI) have revealed a deeper issue concerning the administration, which he believes warrants the government's termination.
The criticism stems from a political dispute regarding the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The INDIA bloc and the Cockroach Janta Party have alleged that 13 crore names were deleted during the draft-roll stage to disenfranchise voters opposed to the ruling BJP. Gandhi specifically criticised Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar for refusing to meet with elected representatives, describing him as a mere service provider. The ECI has rejected these allegations, stating that the 13.39 crore electors flagged as Absent, Shifted, Dead, or duplicate were processed through a standard, unanimous verification exercise.
Amidst the escalating tension, Gandhi invoked a historic address delivered by Jawaharlal Nehru on August 14, 1947, to frame the current political environment. The opposition bloc has launched a nationwide campaign to address these alleged electoral irregularities and held a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu on Friday evening to submit a formal representation demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also weighed in on the situation, accusing the government of acting out of fear by implementing administrative restrictions, such as the closure of metro stations and the cancellation of train services, ahead of the opposition's march. The opposition maintains that its efforts are focused on ensuring accountability from the poll body and correcting what they term as systemic failures within the electoral process.
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