Bhubaneswar: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused the BJP of making concerted efforts to “hijack” the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, drawing parallels with political developments in Maharashtra.
Addressing a large gathering at the ‘Samvidhan Bachao Samavesh’ in Bhubaneswar, Gandhi claimed that the BJP was undermining democracy and attacking the Constitution across the country.
“Like Maharashtra, attempts are being made to hijack the elections in Bihar. The BJP is attacking our Constitution nationwide,” he said.
Gandhi stated that the INDIA bloc, during its meeting on Thursday, had resolved to prevent the BJP from manipulating the electoral process in Bihar, where assembly elections are expected later this year.
He also criticised the Election Commission of India, alleging it was functioning in favour of the BJP rather than independently.
“The Election Commission is not doing its duty. It is working in the interest of the BJP,” Gandhi alleged.
Targeting the BJP’s economic model, he said the party governs “only for five or six capitalists” and does not serve the interests of common citizens.
Shifting focus to tribal rights in Odisha, Gandhi accused the state’s BJP government of failing to implement key tribal welfare laws, including the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA).
“The ‘Jal, Jangal, Jameen’ belongs to tribals and will remain theirs. But the Odisha government has not enforced PESA and is denying forest land rights to tribals,” he claimed.
He further said that the Congress brought the PESA Act and the Tribal Bill, and pledged that if voted to power, his party would ensure strict enforcement of these laws to protect tribal land and forest rights.
