Jaipur: Union Minister for Railways and Information & Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Thursday that the voter lists are the soul of democracy, and Congress should never oppose their purification.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said electoral rolls form the foundation of a democratic system and stressed that their accuracy was essential to ensuring free and fair elections.
“If the electoral roll itself is flawed, how can the fairness and credibility of the democratic system be ensured?” he asked.
Vaishnaw clarified that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) was not a new procedure. Its objective, he said, was to correct errors in electoral rolls and ensure that every eligible voter was included.
Taking a dig at the Congress’s claims of defending the Constitution, he said democracy could not be protected simply by displaying a copy of the Constitution.
It required understanding its spirit and acting in accordance with its principles. He also criticised the Congress for questioning constitutional institutions after electoral defeats.
Such an approach, he argued, reflected a double standard in which institutions and electoral processes were accepted when the party won but questioned when it lost.
“If there is a flaw in any process, the opposition should come forward with facts. Merely making allegations and spreading confusion will not provide a solution,” he said.
The BJP launched a scathing attack on the Congress over its opposition to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls at a rally held at Ramlila Maidan in Jaipur.
Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, Union Minister for Railways and Information & Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw, BJP State President Madan Rathore and Jaipur MP Manju Sharma targeted the Congress, challenging the opposition party on both streets and in the political arena.
Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma openly challenged former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to prove that the questions he had raised during his recent visit to Jodhpur were incorrect.
BJP State President Madan Rathore accused the opposition of being desperate to regain power and creating political instability, while Jaipur MP Manju Sharma questioned the Congress’s objections to the SIR exercise.
Following the rally, the leaders, accompanied by BJP workers, marched from Ramlila Maidan to Tripolia Gate, carrying the national flag and banners bearing slogans such as “Save Democracy, End Anarchy”.
Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma accused the Congress of having a long history of undermining democracy. Referring to the Emergency and the suffering of those who fought to restore democratic rights, he alleged that the Congress had repeatedly misused Article 356 of the Constitution to dismiss elected state governments.
He said that despite this history, the Congress was now presenting itself as the biggest defender of democracy.
Citing the example of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government, Sharma said the BJP had accepted the defeat of its government by a single vote with dignity and continued to respect democratic institutions and conventions.
Without naming Ashok Gehlot directly, the Chief Minister said that some people had become unsettled by the questions he had raised during his Jodhpur visit and would become even more uncomfortable in the coming days.
“Prove me wrong,” he challenged.
Referring to alleged irregularities in RPSC appointments, the Jal Jeevan Mission and paper-leak cases during the previous Congress government, Sharma asked whether members, ministers and officials had not been arrested in connection with these matters. He also claimed that Gehlot’s personal security officer (PSO) had been arrested.
“If you have evidence, present it before the public and let people decide who is lying and who is telling the truth,” he said.
The Chief Minister challenged the Congress to defend its record in government instead of merely making allegations against the BJP. He also called for a comparison between the BJP government’s performance over the past 34 months and the Congress government’s five-year tenure.
“We are politicians who work directly among the people,” he said.
Jaipur MP Manju Sharma took a swipe at the Congress and the CJP, describing them as a “lame duo”, with one allegedly lacking issues and the other lacking public support.
She questioned the Congress’s opposition to the SIR exercise, asking whether the names of deceased persons should continue to remain on electoral rolls and whether people who had shifted to other places should retain their registrations at previous addresses.
Appealing to BJP workers to launch a door-to-door public awareness campaign, she urged them to explain the SIR process and counter what she described as misinformation being spread by the Congress.
Praising Ashwini Vaishnaw, she said that whenever requests were made on behalf of Jaipur or Rajasthan, the Union Minister had delivered more than what was expected.
BJP State President Madan Rathore launched a sharp attack on the Congress, accusing the opposition of being desperate to return to power.
Comparing its political condition to that of a fish out of water, Rathore alleged that the Congress was attempting to create confusion and unrest because it was unable to accept the BJP’s political position.
He also accused the opposition of resorting to political theatrics instead of engaging in constructive democratic debate.
(IANS)
