Rahul Gandhi has made destruction of constitutional institutions his political agenda: Capt. Chowta

Dakshina Kannada MP Capt. Brijesh Chowta on Monday lashed out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying it was regrettable that the latter had made the destruction of the country’s constitutional institutions, including the Election Commission of India (ECI), his political agenda.

In a statement, Capt. Chowta said the recent clarification given by the ECI had once again exposed this “irresponsible” attitude of Mr. Gandhi. Whenever the mandate went against him, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha targeted constitutional institutions. Questioning the functioning of the ECI, doubting the election process, and blaming Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) had become his political strategy. Instead of accepting the verdict of the voter, every time he had been trying to create an atmosphere of chaos by criticising the democratic system, the MP said.

Administrative issue

When the Congress wins in Keralam, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, or Karnataka, the ECI or the EVMs are right. But when it loses elsewhere, they blame the constitutional institutions, Capt. Chowta said. The recent controversy surrounding the special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls is a clear example of this. Mr. Gandhi and the Congress are trying to undermine trust in the constitutional body by portraying an administrative issue of the ECI as a major “constitutional crisis”, he added.

How will the SIR, which Congress leaders have accepted in Keralam, be an ‘attack on democracy’ if implemented elsewhere, the MP asked. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor himself has admitted that the SIR has helped in removing fake voters. “So should your victory in Keralam also be questioned,” he wondered.

Capt. Chowta said the SIR was essential to cleanse the electoral rolls by removing lakhs of fake names, deceased persons, and displaced voters. The basic objective of this process was to protect the rights of eligible citizens and prevent irregularities, he said.

The Election Commission is a constitutional body and not a political adversary, and its responsibility is to conduct elections in the world’s largest democracy impartially, Capt. Chowta said. It is not wrong to question the decisions of the Commission, but portraying every defeat as a ‘constitutional conspiracy’ highlights Mr. Gandhi’s immature political moves, he added.

Capt. Chowta said there was a difference between holding the Election Commission accountable and tarnishing its reputation for political gain. A mature democracy needs responsible criticism, not a shadow that creates controversy every time it loses.