Jammu: J&K BJP President and Rajya Sabha MP Sat Sharma (CA), accompanied by Chief Spokesperson Sr. Adv. Sunil Sethi and Spokesperson Arun Gupta, launched a sharp attack on the Congress-led opposition for a deliberate campaign of lies against the Election Commission of India (ECI) and attempting to drag a constitutional institution into partisan politics.
Addressing a press conference at party headquarters, Trikuta Nagar, Sat Sharma said the ECI’s joint clarification has exposed the narrative being built by Congress around alleged differences among the Election Commissioners. He said Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr. S.S. Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, collectively clarified that decisions relating to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) had the approval of the full Commission. The ECI also clarified that the communication to the Cabinet Secretary concerned an officer on deputation and was not related to Commission policy or SIR.
Sharma said Congress had picked up a newspaper report and tried to convert it into a political controversy, while also attempting to establish a connection between the ECI and BJP with what he termed malicious intentions. “Constitutional bodies function under the Constitution, not under the direction of any political party,” he said.
He accused Congress of having a history of undermining constitutional and national institutions, saying that during the Emergency the party had assaulted democratic institutions and that it has repeatedly targeted the Election Commission, judiciary and even the Indian Army for political purposes. He said the Congress has questioned EVMs, the Election Commission and other institutions whenever political circumstances have gone against it.
On SIR, Sharma asked why Congress was opposing the Election Commission’s efforts to ensure that electoral rolls contain genuine and eligible voters. “If the Commission is taking action to identify and remove illegal or ineligible entries, what is Congress’s objection? Does Congress support illegal voting?” he asked.
Sharma demanded a public apology from Rahul Gandhi and the Congress leadership, saying attempts to discredit constitutional institutions during elections or on other politically important occasions cannot be accepted.
Sr. Adv. Sunil Sethi said the Congress-led opposition had raised a completely misleading question mark over the ECI on the basis of an unverified narrative. He said the full Commission has now clarified its position, including on SIR, and Congress should stop creating confusion around constitutional institutions. The BJP, he said, would not tolerate deliberate attempts to undermine institutional credibility.
