A group of 272 retired judges, former bureaucrats and ex-members of the armed forces hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday for targeting the Election Commission with his “vote chori” claims and expressed concerns over the “assault” on Indian democracy by targeting foundational institutions.
In the letter, titled “Assault on National Constitutional Authorities”, the signatories attacked the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha for his “unbelievably uncouth rhetoric” against the Election Commission and for issuing threats to the officials involved in the SIR exercise.
“Some political leaders, instead of offering genuine policy alternative, resort to provocative but unsubstantiated accusations in their theatrical political strategy. After their attempts to tarnish the Indian Armed Forces by questioning their valour and accomplishments, and the Judiciary by questioning its fairness, Parliament, and its constitutional functionaries, now it is the turn of Election Commission of India to face systematic and conspiratorial attacks on its integrity and reputation,” the letter from Justice SN Dhingra, Former Delhi High Court Judge and Nirmal Kaur, Former DGP of Jharkhand read.
The letter was signed by 16 judges, 123 bureaucrats and 133 armed forces officers.
It said that Rahul Gandhi repeatedly attacked the poll body, issuing threats and even going to the extent of saying that “if CEC/ECs are retired, he will hound them”.
“The Leader of Opposition, Lok Sabha, has repeatedly attacked the Election Commission, declaring that he has open and shut proof that the Election Commission is involved in vote theft and claimed that he has100 per cent proof. Using unbelievably uncouth rhetoric that what he has found is an atom bomb and when it explodes, the EC would have no place to hide,” the letter alleged, adding that those involved in the SIR exercise would not be spared.
Despite the scathing accusations, there has been no formal complaint filed by him or sworn affidavit submitted against the poll body, the letter said, reasoning that the Congress leader wanted to escape accountability for his unsubstantiated allegations and threatening public servants in performance of their duty.
The allegations against the Congress leader come after Rahul Gandhi, during his Bihar campaign, raked up the SIR issue in his poll rallies, claiming that the poll body was hand in glove with the BJP to cut off genuine voters during the roll revision.
“Such fiery rhetoric may be emotionally powerful — but it collapses under scrutiny, because the ECI has publicly shared its SIR methodology, overseen verification by courtsanctioned means, removed ineligible names in a compliant manner, and added new eligible voters,” the letter said. “This suggests that these accusations are an attempt to drape political frustration in the garb of institutional crisis.”
The former bureaucrats, judges and armed forces members said that the pattern of behaviour reflects “impotent rage” and Gandhi’s deep anger is born of “repeated electoral failure and frustration”.
“When political leaders lose touch with the aspirations of ordinary citizens, they lash out at institutions instead of rebuilding their credibility,” the letter added.
