Why is the Congress so attached to fake votes? Shivraj Singh Chouhan
New Delhi :
On the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, Chouhan said a clean and accurate voter list is essential for a fair and credible democracy. He questioned why the Congress was objecting to the process of cleaning up electoral rolls. “Why should the names of deceased persons remain on the voter list? Why should the name of someone who is not even an Indian citizen be on the electoral roll? Why should the same person’s name remain registered at two different places?” he asked. Instead of answering these questions, the Congress is opposing the process of cleaning up the voter list, he said. “Why is the Congress so attached to fake votes? Does the Congress believe that its politics can survive only if fake votes remain?” Chouhan asked. He said cleaning up electoral rolls is a necessary process to strengthen the democratic system. If a voter’s name has been incorrectly recorded, the name of a deceased person remains on the list, or the same person is registered at more than one location, such discrepancies need to be removed, he said. “For free and fair elections, a clean electoral roll is essential. This process should not be viewed through a political lens,” Chouhan said.
Do not undermine constitutional institutions and push the country towards chaos
Chouhan accused the Congress of undermining the credibility of constitutional institutions and said making allegations against institutions such as the Election Commission without substantive grounds was a serious concern for democracy. He said the opposition has every right to protest, but protests must also remain within the bounds of democratic conduct. “Particularly, a person holding an important constitutional position such as the Leader of the Opposition is expected to conduct himself responsibly,” he said. “Do not discredit constitutional institutions. The same system through which you win elections cannot be put in the dock when you lose. That is an insult to democracy,” Chouhan said. He cautioned that repeatedly questioning constitutional institutions for political interests could weaken public trust in these institutions and create unnecessary unrest and an atmosphere of disorder in the country. He appealed to the opposition to avoid politics that could destabilise the country and to uphold the dignity of democracy.
Congress has resorted to threats out of frustration over defeats
Taking aim at the Congress’s conduct, Chouhan said the party had become so frustrated after repeated electoral defeats that it was now moving from allegations to threats. He said political opposition is natural in a democracy, but undignified conduct, threats and attempts to put pressure on constitutional institutions cannot be justified under any circumstances. “Threats will not work. To win the people’s trust, one has to go among the people, share their joys and sorrows and work for them,” he said. Chouhan said the Congress should understand why the Bharatiya Janata Party wins elections and why the Congress loses them. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi lives in the hearts of the people. Neither Narendra Modi nor the BJP or the NDA can be removed from the hearts of the people through threats. For that, one has to go among the people, earn their trust and win their confidence through policies and performance,” he said.
Congress should introspect instead of creating a storm over its defeats
Chouhan advised the Congress to undertake serious introspection after being repeatedly rejected by the people. He said allegations and counter-allegations after an electoral defeat, putting constitutional institutions in the dock and creating a tense political atmosphere would not resolve any problem. “Instead of losing its temper and creating a commotion over every issue, the Congress should sit down calmly and introspect. It should reflect on its own, understand the people’s verdict and learn from it,” he said. Chouhan said democracy functions on the basis of public trust.
