Rajnath Challenges Rahul Gandhi Over Poll Rigging Claims
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has strongly responded to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s recent allegations against the Election Commission of India (ECI), challenging him to present evidence if he truly believes there has been electoral misconduct.
Speaking during a rally in Bihar, Singh said Gandhi’s repeated accusations had no factual backing and were misleading the public. He referred to Gandhi’s statements comparing the alleged electoral irregularities to an “atomic bomb” and questioned why, if such explosive proof existed, it had not yet been made public.
Singh urged Gandhi to “detonate the bomb” of evidence he claimed to have, emphasizing that baseless accusations without proof were an insult to constitutional institutions. He stated that the ECI was a neutral body and that making such serious charges without providing evidence undermined the democratic framework.
Gandhi had earlier claimed that the 2024 general elections were rigged in favour of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and hinted at possessing credible evidence to support this assertion. He also accused key institutions, including the Election Commission and sections of the media, of functioning like the “BJP’s front organisations.”
The political war of words has intensified following the BJP’s return to power in the 2024 elections with a reduced majority, and opposition parties have increasingly focused on the conduct of the electoral process. Singh said such allegations were part of a pattern of “habitual blaming” from the Congress leadership whenever election results did not favour them.
He further added that the people of India had spoken through the ballot and that raising doubts over every election only disrespects the electorate’s mandate.
