Joshi refutes Rahul Gandhi's charges against RC
Hubballi, Jun 8 (UNI) Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Sunday lashed out at senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for casting aspersions on the Election Commission in a recent article, calling the remarks "absurd and baseless" and accusing the former Congress president of "undermining democratic institutions out of frustration."
Rahul Gandhi, in an opinion piece published this week, alleged that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections were "neither free nor fair," citing what he called "institutional capture" and an Election Commission that he claimed had "abdicated its constitutional responsibility".
He also accused the BJP-led Union government of using "money, media, and state power" to manipulate outcomes in its favour.
Responding to these accusations, Joshi told reporters in Hubballi, "Why is he raising questions now? The Election Commission had already given the necessary clarifications at the very time the elections were conducted — about who won, who lost, and in which constituencies."
Firmly rejecting Gandhi's suggestion that the poll process was compromised, the senior BJP leader pointed out the electoral outcomes in opposition-ruled states as proof of the EC's neutrality. "If such manipulation were even remotely possible, it could have been done in Jharkhand as well," Joshi remarked.
"I have said this before — during the Karnataka elections, the BJP was in power in the state under Basavaraj Bommai, and we were also in government at the Centre. Despite creating a favourable atmosphere, we could not secure a third term. So, Rahul Gandhi should refrain from making such nonsensical statements," he said.
Joshi further said that repeatedly casting doubt on constitutional bodies is a tactic often used by the Congress party when it fails to secure a mandate. "These kinds of claims not only insult the hard work of election officials and the credibility of institutions like the EC but also reflect Rahul Gandhi's inability to accept the people's verdict in good faith," he added.
The BJP has dismissed the Congress' allegations of misuse of central agencies and biased media as "excuses" to justify its electoral losses, while asserting that the mandate was a reflection of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and the people's trust in the NDA.
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