New Delhi, Oct 30 (IANS) A political slugfest broke out between the BJP and the INDIA Bloc on Friday over the proposed ‘public impeachment’ of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Gyanesh Kumar.
While the BJP questioned the message the Opposition parties intended to convey through what it described as a mock parliamentary exercise, the INDIA Bloc claimed that as constitutional institutions were trampled upon and elections were not free and fair, they had no option but to organise such a public impeachment.
The slugfest came as the Opposition INDIA Bloc prepared to hold a ‘public impeachment’ of Gyanesh Kumar amid its ongoing confrontation with the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The programme is scheduled to begin at 3.30 p.m. on Friday at the residence of Congress President and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge.
Speaking to IANS, BJP MP Yogender Chandolia accused the Congress and its alliance partners of attempting to create unrest over the Election Commission. He said the Opposition should raise its concerns through parliamentary proceedings rather than organise such programmes.
“The way the Congress party and all its alliance partners are working to spread anarchy in the country regarding the Election Commission, and the way they have done so in Delhi, my belief is that if they want to state their point while remaining within limits, they should do so in Parliament. The previous Lok Sabha session did not run even for a day. Now, the session is about to begin, and they should honestly present their views, whether about the Election Commission, any individual or the Prime Minister,” Chandolia said.
“What message do they want to give by conducting mock drill programmes like this? They do not let the Lok Sabha function, and today they hold a Lok Sabha at their own home,” he added.
BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal said, “Whenever Parliament is in session, you spend all 40 days outside, on the streets, and do not allow Parliament to function. In a democracy, the ruling party, the Opposition and the President together constitute Parliament. As an Opposition MP and Leader of the Opposition, you do not speak a word inside Parliament. Whatever you have to say, you say at Kharge ji’s residence because you know that if you raise an issue in the Lok Sabha, you will have to listen to the response as well.”
“The response is such that you have no option but to leave, humiliated. That is why these people are putting on this drama. If your issue is valid, raise it in the Lok Sabha. You do not discuss it there, you do not allow the House to function for 40 days and boycott Parliament entirely. Then, when Parliament is not in session, you hold a mock Parliament. This shows how afraid you are of the ruling party MPs and how unwilling you are to discuss these issues in front of them, because you know that whenever you raise such matters, you will be thoroughly exposed and left with no option but to walk away,” he told IANS.
BJP leader Ram Kadam also criticised the Opposition’s initiative, stressing that impeachment was a serious constitutional procedure and should not be used as a political tool.
“Impeachment is a serious constitutional process. You cannot turn it into a political drama. If you have any objections, approach the judiciary or submit evidence to the Election Commission,” Kadam said.
Referring to the Opposition’s concerns over Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), he claimed that elections to 28 Legislative Council seats across four states had been conducted using ballot papers, but the Congress had won only one seat.
“Whether elections are conducted through EVMs or ballot papers, you lose and then blame the Election Commission,” he added.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Udit Raj defended the INDIA Bloc’s proposed programme, describing it as an effort to raise public awareness about the functioning of Parliament and the state of democracy in the country.
“A mock Parliament is a way of informing the people of the country about how our Parliament and democracy are being dismantled. It is a means of creating awareness among people,” he said.
Raj also pointed to the BJP’s reported plans to organise programmes at nearly 800 locations in response to the Opposition’s initiative. He claimed that the BJP’s counter-campaign indicated that the ruling party was under pressure and on the defensive.
“This is good for the INDIA Bloc because it shows that the BJP is under pressure and has gone on the defensive. Its alleged theft has been exposed, revealing how it has been winning elections through vote theft,” he said.
Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi accused the BJP of undermining constitutional principles and alleged that electoral victories were being secured through vote theft. He said the ruling party’s response to questions about the Election Commission reflected a larger problem concerning democratic accountability.
“The Bharatiya Janata Party has made a mockery of the Constitution and democracy. They are forming governments through vote theft, and when questions are raised about the Election Commission, the entire BJP machinery joins together to respond. What could be a bigger mockery of democracy?” he told IANS.
Pratapgarhi said the Opposition remained united under the leadership of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and reiterated that the INDIA Bloc would proceed with its public impeachment programme.
“Ultimately, the entire Opposition is united under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. We will hold the public impeachment programme, and on November 1, Delhi will witness a historic rally, which will be the biggest rally in the history of India and Delhi,” he added.
CPI(M) MP John Brittas also defended the initiative, saying it reflected public sentiment in favour of restoring democratic institutions and ensuring that constitutional bodies function independently.
“What we are doing is a reflection of the sentiments of crores and crores of people who want to ensure democracy is restored and who want to believe that institutions adhere to their constitutional roles,” Brittas said.
He alleged that constitutional institutions were being undermined and questioned the fairness of elections, claiming that the Opposition’s notices had not been entertained by the Lok Sabha Speaker or the Rajya Sabha Chairman.
“When constitutional institutions are trampled on, when elections are not free and fair, when the umpire itself becomes partisan, and when our notices are not entertained by the Lok Sabha Speaker or Rajya Sabha Chairman, we have only one option: To organise such a public impeachment,” he said.
Brittas further claimed that Gyanesh Kumar had lost his moral authority and expressed the expectation that he would resign.
“We feel that, seeing the writing on the wall, Gyanesh Kumar will quit forthwith. Already, he has lost his moral authority, and the courts have indirectly indicted him, and he has lost the legal authority too,” he added.
–IANS
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