Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi targeted the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) during the discussion on electoral reforms on Tuesday and demanded amendments in the laws governing the Election Commission.
Launching a scathing attack during the debate on Special Intensive Revision (SIR), Gandhi charged that the RSS wants to capture institutions in the country. "After the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, the next step of the project was the wholesale capture of India's institutional framework," the Congress leader charged.
Gandhi alleged that the RSS has captured educational institutions of the country, by appointing vice-chancellors who support their ideology. "Second capture, which helps in destroying democracy, the capture of the intelligence agencies; the capture of the CBI, ED and Income Tax Departments, and the systematic placement of bureaucrats who favour their ideology and attack the opposition and anybody who chooses to oppose the RSS," Gandhi said.
"Our nation is a fabric of 1.5 billion people, and it is woven together by vote. But, idea that every person in India is equal disturbs my friends in RSS," he charged. Gandhi alleged RSS fundamentally does not believe in equality, and they believe in a hierarchy.
"I have given proof how the Election Commission is colluding with those in power to shape elections. Haryana elections were stolen and theft was ensured by EC," Gandhi alleged. He also claimed Bihar elections were stolen. "Vote chori is the biggest anti-national activity", he charged.
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Reiterating vote theft charges, the Congress leader alleged a Brazilian woman's photo appears 22 times, and a woman's name appear 200 times in the electoral roll. "The Election Commission is yet to respond to allegations," Gandhi alleged.
Gandhi also suggested a few reforms to improve the electoral process. "Give machine-readable voter list to all parties a month before polls; take back the law allowing CCTV footage destruction; and provide access to the Electronic Voting Machine's architecture," he said. Gandhi also said laws providing immunity to election commissioners' actions must be changed.
