‘Vote chori' row: ‘lame duck excuses, puerile legalese', Congress hits back as Haryana CEO demands oath from Rahul Gandhi
A Sreenivas, CEO, Haryana, sent the letter to Rahul Gandhi Sunday while referring to the allegations levelled by him in a press conference held on August 7.
In his latest letter, the CEO said, 'It is requested that the signed declaration/oath may be returned to this office within ten (10) days, so that necessary proceedings may be initiated in accordance with the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and the Registration of Electoral Rules, 1960.'
Tagging the CEO's letter on social media platform X, Surjewala said: 'When confronted with evidence of mass manipulation of voter rolls, the Election Commission seeks to hide the 'Voter Fraud' with its lame duck excuses, puerile legalese and fake technicalities. No wonder that it is now named as 'Election Capture of India' – ECI.'
Surjewala alleged: 'The malicious stonewalling and obfuscation of Election Commission to address the issue of 'vote theft' and hide behind excuses establishes its 'fear of truth'. Not once has the ECI and BJP said that Rahul ji's assertion of vote theft is wrong.'
Stating that EC 'is not a passive clerk of electoral paperwork', Surjewala said: 'It is a constitutional guardian of the level playing field and free and fair polls, the lifeblood of democracy.'
'To evade scrutiny in favour of procedural smokescreens is not neutrality. It is an abdication of duty that corrodes the very democracy it is meant to protect. It is nothing short of a crime against democracy and the Constitution and these notices will not dilute the unpardonable sin it is committing,' he added.
The Haryana Assembly elections were held in October 2024, in which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 48 seats while the Congress won 31 seats for the 90-member Vidhan Sabha.
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Time of India
31 minutes ago
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The Hindu
42 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Can a Secular State Build Temples? Bihar Poses the Test
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After all, when Diwali is celebrated at the White House or 10 Downing Street, Hindus in India too feel a sense of joy and inclusion. But this does not answer the core question: 'Can the state go further and build a religious site?' The Ayodhya verdict This question first emerged when the Supreme Court, in its Ayodhya verdict, awarded the site of the demolished Babri Masjid for the construction of a Ram temple. Even then, a certain fig leaf of propriety was maintained: the construction was handed over to a trust, not undertaken directly by the government. The state was asked to form the trust. But it was not directly made responsible for the construction of the temple. Also, apparently, state funds were not used. Still, the credit for the temple was claimed by the BJP. The Prime Minister was thanked for the court's verdict. At the inauguration, he played the role of the principal yajman. 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Periodic advertisements—each costing lakhs, if not crores—will accompany the progress of this project. Can the Bihar government do this? Can a secular state extend such unambiguous patronage to one particular religion? This is a question that the media ought to have asked, and political parties in Bihar, too, should have done that. But the media, silenced by advertisement revenue and its growing alignment with the BJP and the State government, has abdicated its responsibility. Otherwise, it could have posed a simple question: 'Why are taxpayers' funds being used to build a site belonging to a particular religion?' Hindutva and public indifference No one objected to Amit Shah or Nitish Kumar attending the event in a personal capacity. But how can they act as chief yajmans while holding public office? How can the state itself build a temple? 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The Bihar Transport Department has announced that it will subsidise fares for people travelling to and from the State during the 'festive season lasting three months'—specifically for Durga Puja, Diwali, Chhath, and Holi. Its calculation is wrong. From Durga Puja to Holi is not three months, but nearly six months of the calendar year. 'If the fate of Bihar's people was truly tied to a temple, why have they been made to endure Nitish Kumar's government for nearly two decades and the BJP's at the Centre for 11 years?' Why is public money being used exclusively to support Hindu festivals? Again, this policy was advertised in full-page newspaper ads, the cost of which must also be counted. Governments often justify such expenditures under the guise of 'religious tourism'. They argue that these initiatives generate revenue for the state and also provide employment to local people residing in those religiously significant places. Thus, the state's participation in religious activity is repackaged as secular—a convenient fabrication. The devotee earns spiritual merit, and the state earns money: a win-win, apparently. But would the state demonstrate the same generosity during Eid or Bakrid? Does it do so? Shortly after Nitish Kumar returned to power, one saw advertisements inviting people to perform pind-daan in Gaya. The Bihar government was essentially claiming that performing these Hindu rituals in Gaya would liberate the souls of ancestors. Clearly, it was peddling spiritual inducements, positioning Gaya as a rival to Kashi—as though salvation were a matter of competitive marketing. That it can do this is a reflection of how deeply eroded public consciousness has become around the idea of a secular state. In the past eleven years, governments have participated so often and so directly in Hindu religious events that it now appears normal. Sita temple: Spiritual or political endeavour? The announcement of the Ram temple in Ayodhya had triggered protests from opposition parties in Bihar, who claimed that Sita was being ignored—that she was not being given an equal place alongside Ram. Thus began the groundwork for a Sita temple in Sitamarhi. Now, that project is under way. At its inauguration, the Union Home Minister declared that this was not merely the beginning of a temple but the beginning of Bihar and Mithila's fortune. But if the fate of Bihar's people was truly tied to a temple, why have they been made to endure Nitish Kumar's government for nearly two decades and the BJP's at the Centre for 11 years? Also Read | Mohan Bhagwat's call for religious harmony reflects the duplicity of RSS Is the Sita temple a spiritual endeavour, or a political one? The Home Minister made it clear. Its purpose or objective is entirely worldly. Instead of speaking about why Sita is significant to the Hindu mind, he used the occasion to attack the opposition and criticise their objections to the Special Intensive Revision, the recent drive by the Election Commission to update the election lists. He vowed to keep out 'infiltrators'. This was not a religious speech; it was a political campaign speech. It confirmed what many had suspected—this temple is a part of a Hindutva political project, akin to the Ram temple in Ayodhya. It has nothing to do with devotion to Ram or Sita. The only discernible development is this: Nitish Kumar has now enthusiastically joined the BJP's Hindutva project. Apoorvanand teaches Hindi at Delhi University and writes literary and cultural criticism.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: Councillor alleges irregularities in vending zone relocation
Congress councillor from Ward 94, Bhupinder Kaur, has written to the ministry of housing and urban affairs, accusing the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation (MC) of misusing public funds in shifting a vending zone project from the West constituency to the North constituency. In her complaint, Kaur alleged that a ₹ 1.2-crore Smart City project sanctioned for Zone D was moved to Zone A without due approval. (HT Photo) In her complaint, Kaur alleged that a ₹1.2-crore Smart City project sanctioned for Zone D was moved to Zone A without due approval. She said work orders for the vending zone were issued on September 21, 2022, but the location was later changed in violation of rules. According to Kaur, the new site is unnecessary as a vegetable market already exists nearby. She claimed the relocation was done to benefit an acquaintance allegedly planning to set up an illegal slaughterhouse, and that the project is being built on a prohibited green belt. 'This is a clear misuse of Smart City funds. Public money is being spent on an unnecessary project at an unsuitable location, all for personal gain,' she stated, urging the ministry to stop construction and order an impartial inquiry. MC officials rejected the allegations, saying the project was relocated to provide more space for vendors and reduce congestion. 'The change was made in the interest of public convenience, and there is nothing unlawful about it,' said Shamlal Gupta, superintending engineer of the MC.
