Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal hit out at the Congress in Lok Sabha over its ‘vote chori’ allegations, accusing the party of hypocrisy for criticising EVMs only when the BJP wins elections and not when they do.
‘If you win, EVMs fine; if we win, faulty’: Meghwal slams Congress
Union Minister of Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal on Tuesday slammed the Congress over its “vote chori” allegations against the government and said the opposition party had different yardsticks when it comes to its own victory in elections and when the BJP wins. Participating in the discussion on electoral reforms in Lok Sabha, Meghwal also targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who levelled several allegations against the government during the debate. He said Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls had also been carried out during Congress governments. “If you win, EVMs are fine; if we win, EVMs are faulty. What kind of contradiction is this,” he asked.
‘India’s Elections are a Grand Festival of Democracy’
He said India is the largest democracy in the world where elections are celebrated as a “festival of democracy” involving crores of voters. “As the birthplace of democracy, our great nation India is the world’s largest democracy. In India, elections are not merely a political exercise but are celebrated like a grand festival of democracy, in which crores of people choose their representatives through voting. This is a powerful symbol of our democratic republic and forms the foundation on which the magnificent structure of Indian democracy has been built,” he said.
“After independence, we adopted a parliamentary democracy, where we elect representatives through voting. India’s Constitution came into force on January 26, 1950, and a day before that–on January 25, 1950–the Constitution makers established the Election Commission. For the Constitution makers, the Election Commission was an extremely important institution. In the 2024 general elections, there were a total of 97.7 crore voters in the electoral roll. According to the Election Commission, six national parties and 742 other parties participated in the elections,” he added.
Minister Highlights ‘Extraordinary Contradiction’
He said the Election Commission holds an event on National Voters Day and representatives of political parties and foreign delegates attend it. “The foreign delegates who attend praise India’s Election Commission and its electoral system. I am surprised that representatives of our political parties also praise it there, but they criticise it outside. What kind of contradiction is this? This is an extraordinary contradiction,” the Minister said.
Meghwal Cites BR Ambedkar, Accuses Congress of Historical ‘Vote Chori’
Meghwal accused Congress of defeating Dr BR Ambedkar in an election he fought, through “vote chori” alleging that a sizeable number of votes were rejected.
He noted that the foundation of electoral reform lies in Ambedkar’s November 25, 1949 speech, which emphasised political equality through the principle of ‘one man, one vote, one value’, even as social and economic inequalities persisted. “Dr BR Ambedkar’s speech of November 25, 1949 forms the foundation of our electoral reforms. On November 25, 1949, Dr Ambedkar said, ‘On January 26, 1950, we are going to enter into a life of contradiction. In politics, we will have equality, but in social and economic life, we will have inequality. In politics, we will be recognising the principle of one man, one vote, one value.’ This is the basis of our electoral reforms; this is the basis of SIR (Special Intensive Revision). That is why in SIR, ineligible names should not remain on the voters’ list and eligible voters should not be left out,” he said.
‘Vote Theft Nothing New for Congress,’ Alleges Minister
Meghwal alleged that Rahul Gandhi brings the book (Constitution), but he does not read what is written. “Vote theft for Congress is nothing new. The misuse of government machinery by Indira Gandhi in Rae Bareli during the 1971 general elections still shames democracy to this day,” he alleged.
The Lok Sabha took up a discussion on Electoral Reforms on Tuesday, a day after it discussed the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram. (ANI)
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