New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday issued a blunt warning to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, declaring that the opposition would ensure he does not remain in office. He described the INDIA bloc’s “public impeachment” of the CEC as an “extremely dangerous political weapon” aimed at all those he accused of colluding to destroy the votes of the Indian people.
Gandhi went a step further, saying Kumar should be prosecuted for treason in a court of law. Taking aim at the CEC and members of the Modi government he alleged were behind “vote chori,” the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said, “We guarantee you that we are not going to forgive and forget the assault on the voice of the people of India.”
The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha backed an INDIA bloc resolution seeking Kumar’s symbolic removal. He said it was ridiculous that opposition MPs and leaders had to assemble in the garden of Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence because every other institution had shut its doors on them.
“I fully support the motion to impeach Gyanesh Kumar, who should be tried for treason in a court of law and justice should be served,” Gandhi said while closing the event.
Sonia Gandhi, the Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson, attended along with party general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Jairam Ramesh and KC Venugopal. Leaders from at least 18 parties and Independent Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal also addressed the gathering, which was chaired by former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar and held on the eve of an opposition rally in Delhi, as reported by The New Indian Express.
After nearly three hours of speeches, opposition leaders passed the resolution demanding the CEC’s removal by a show of hands.
No Choice, Says Opposition
Before the resolution was adopted, Rahul Gandhi said it was “quite absurd” that 250 opposition MPs, civil-society members and journalists had gathered at Kharge’s home. He said the opposition was forced to conduct its “impeachment proceedings” in a garden because it had been left with no other route.
“The reason we are standing here is that we have nowhere else to go. We have no other option. Every single institution is closed for us,” the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said.
He added, “I don’t think anything like this has ever happened: the entire opposition sitting in a garden to discuss the impeachment of the chief election commissioner of India.”
Gandhi then made a direct prediction about Kumar’s future.
“We have enough evidence to ensure that this gentleman does not continue in office. If the BJP insists on retaining him even after we reveal what we know, then its game will be clear for everyone to see,” the former Congress chief said.
‘Extremely Dangerous Political Weapon’
He described the gathering as more than a meeting of lawmakers and citizens.
“This may look like a meeting of MPs and ordinary citizens, but it is, in fact, an extremely dangerous political weapon that is sitting here in the garden of the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha. This weapon is targeted directly at every single person, starting with Mr Gyanesh Kumar, and going to Mr (Narendra) Modi, Mr (Amit) Shah, who colluded to destroy the votes of the Indian people,” Gandhi said.
He said the opposition’s message to “the Gyanesh Kumars of the world” was clear: “you are hiding behind the institution you have sworn to protect.”
“Remember, you cannot hide behind it forever. One day, today or tomorrow, you will have to face the representatives of the people of this country,” he added.
Gandhi insisted that the event was not merely talk.
“Whoever these people are should realise that this is not just some talk taking place in a garden; this is a political weapon that is going to give justice to the people of India.
“This is our sacred duty to the Constitution and to the people of India. We are left with no choice but to do this,” he said.
‘Will Not Forgive And Forget What You Have Done’
Gandhi also alleged that 13.3 crore voters had been removed through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. He said that amounted to one in every seven Indians, or 15% of the electorate.
“These voters participated in the last Lok Sabha elections, where the victory margin was 3 per cent. Now, the Election Commission itself is stating that 15 per cent of the voters should never have voted.
“So, the Election Commission itself is saying that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections were illegal and the BJP, which entered the Lok Sabha, did so illegally,” he said.
He argued that such a large deletion could not be reconciled with claims that the 2024 election was valid.
“You cannot delete 13.3 crore voters and then argue that the 2024 elections were legal,” he said.
Turning his fire on Kumar, Gandhi accused the CEC of damaging the country’s core values and said he would not escape accountability.
“If Gyanesh Kumar or five-seven people think that immunity will save them or that Modi-Shah will save them, I would kindly suggest that they see what is going on in the country and understand the mood of the people.
“Tomorrow you will see how a political weapon is placed on the streets of Delhi. A united opposition will show you the mood of the people of this country,” he said.
Gandhi accused the Modi government of allowing election rigging and misuse of institutions, but said such actions would not last.
“We guarantee you that this is a temporary phenomenon.
“We guarantee you that the voice of the people, the opposition MPs, and the youngsters who are on the streets will not forgive and forget what you have done, because this is an assault on India,” he said.
He warned those he accused of harming the Union of India that Kumar was only one part of a larger issue.
“This is a warning to you – things are shifting. This is a new political weapon sitting in the garden, and it is going to hurt you very badly if you continue going down your path. I say with affection, we are not nasty people, but we will protect the voice of the people,” Gandhi said.
