New Delhi [India], October 30 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP and national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi on Wednesday criticised the Congress for its allegations against the Election Commission (EC), pointing to the EC's 1,642-page detailed response as evidence of Congress's "vengeful pride" and "suspiciously covert" motives.
Trivedi questioned Congress's selective criticism of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), observing that they functioned without issue in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Delhi, but allegedly failed in Rajasthan in 2023 and in Haryana.
"The EC's extensive 1,642-page response to Congress's baseless and absurd accusations underscores the party's vengeful pride for power--'I am right if I win, and if I lose, someone else is responsible.' This attitude isn't merely amusing but suspicious. Congress's attempts to cast aspersions on the dignity of constitutional institutions are not just ridiculous; they are slyly subversive," the BJP MP remarked during a press conference in the national capital.
"We see a clear design, a motive... I'd like to ask Congress--EVMs worked perfectly in J-K, Punjab, Himachal, and Delhi. They performed well in Rajasthan in 2018 but not in 2023. In Haryana, they allegedly malfunctioned," he added.
Referring to the 99 seats Congress won in the recent Lok Sabha elections, Trivedi suggested that their newfound confidence contributed to the Haryana loss.
"In the intoxication of '99' and the arrogance of believing power is theirs by right, they should abandon the mindset of a 'spoilt prince' that caused this 'accident.' The public views such accusations with suspicion," he stated.
"In Telangana, Karnataka, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu, the ECI performed well, and even according to Congress, it managed Lok Sabha elections effectively. So why do they aim to destabilise Indian democracy by questioning every institution?" he continued.
Criticising Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's "unofficial MP" remark, Trivedi argued that such attitudes jeopardise democracy.
"Congress's most prominent and energetic leader claimed he'd remain an unofficial MP. This party, with an unofficial PM for 10 years, still has an unofficial president and, possibly, an unofficial CM in Delhi. Yet they raise their voice against the official constitutional bodies of our country, putting democracy at risk," he remarked.
Following Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's recent nomination in Wayanad, Rahul Gandhi commented on October 23, "Wayanad is the only constituency with two MPs--one official, the other unofficial; both will work to protect Wayanad's interests."
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) rejected the Congress's allegations of irregularities in Haryana's recent elections, labelling them "baseless, misplaced, and devoid of facts."
In a letter to Congress, the ECI urged the party to desist from making groundless accusations after each election, accusing them of fostering "generic" doubts without evidence.
The ECI advised Congress to exercise caution, warning that irresponsible claims, particularly around sensitive periods such as polling and counting days, could lead to public unrest and chaos.
Highlighting five specific cases over the past year, the ECI encouraged Congress, as a national party with substantial experience, to employ due diligence rather than persistently casting unfounded criticism on electoral processes.
Following comprehensive re-verification by Returning Officers across all 26 Haryana constituencies in question, the ECI affirmed to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge that each stage of the Haryana election was flawless and observed by Congress candidates or their agents.
Addressing Congress's concerns about the EVM battery display, the ECI clarified that the battery voltage and capacity are irrelevant to the machines' vote-counting function and integrity.
"The battery status on the control unit merely assists technical teams in monitoring power levels to ensure smooth operation during polling," it stated.