Union Minister Kiren Rijiju hit back at Mallikarjun Kharge over his ‘illegal PM’ allegation. The war of words comes amid a broader national controversy surrounding the Election Commission and Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Rijiju Slams Kharge Over ‘Illegal PM’ Remark
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday targeted Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over his “illegal PM” allegation amid the ongping row over the Election Commision’s fuctioning and Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Taking to X, Kiren Rijiju accused Kharge of undermining the Constitution of India, questioning if the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Chief Ministers in Congress-led state government are also “illegal”. “Are you illegal MP Kharge ji? Is Rahul Gandhi ji an illegal MP? Are Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Keralam, Punjab, J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand illegal? Stop insulting the Constitution of India,” Rijiju said.
Kharge’s ‘Illegal Elections’ Allegation
The war of words erupted after Kharge alleged that “illegal elections are being held in the country,” going on to claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are “illegal” leaders. “Governments should be dissolved and elections should be held through ballots. Modi and Shah are ruining the country through SIR, and are engaged in destroying democracy,” he said. https://x.com/KirenRijiju/status/2106757238899753104?s=20
Broader Controversy Over ECI and Electoral Rolls
This comes amid the broader national controversy surrounding the Election Commission of India and Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Indian Express reported last month that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally recorded objections on at least 14 separate occasions over 10 months regarding decisions on electoral rolls, voter registration, and technology systems. These reported concerns pertained to Form 6 submissions, voter deletions, and access to the central electoral-roll databases.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) later rejected claims of institutional dissent and stated that administrative queries, operational inputs, and suggestions during draft stages are standard practice. The poll panel emphasised that all final decisions regarding the SIR schedule were taken unanimously.
Opposition Plans Nationwide Protests
The INDIA bloc is stepping up its nationwide campaign against the Chief Election Commissioner and the commission’s handling of electoral rolls. Opposition parties have planned a series of demonstrations, including a coordinated protest on October 6 and a major rally in New Delhi on November 1.
Thackerays Lead Joint Protest
Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray led a joint protest march toward the BMC headquarters , targeting Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and raising questions over the poll panel’s functioning. (ANI)
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