INDIA bloc passes ‘impeachment motion’; Rahul says ‘Gyanesh won’t survive’

Rahul: We have no other way than to hold 'impeachment' here in Kharge's house

Rahul Gandhi: "In a way, this (the public impeachment) is an absurd thing that is happening. We are sitting in Kharge Ji's garden and having an impeachment.... We have to do it this way because we have no other option left; nowhere else left to go."

Neha Bora: 'You won't just be impeached, you will be jailed'

Neha Bora accuses CEC Gyanesh Kumar of misusing his position to favour one particular political party. She said he would not only be impeached but also jailed. "You won't just be impeached; you will be jailed."

Neha Bora hits out at CEC over Form 6 change

Form 6 modification was CEC's attempt to deny young people voting rights, says student activist and AISA president Neha Bora.

Rahul advocating regime change on lines of Bangladesh; seeking foreign intervention: Pralhad Joshi

Union minister Pralhad Joshi on Saturday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of advocating "regime change" in India on the lines of Bangladesh and questioned whether the opposition party wanted similar violence and attacks on Hindus in the country.

Addressing a press conference in Jaipur, Joshi said elections are the only constitutional and democratic means of changing government in India.

"Rahul Gandhi and some people around him openly talk about regime change. He cites Bangladesh and asks people to draw inspiration from its youth. What kind of regime change does he want?" Joshi said.

He also accused Rahul of seeking foreign intervention in India's internal democratic affairs.

The Union education minister said the change of government in Bangladesh had taken place amid violence, and alleged that Hindus are facing violence, and even being killed, there.

"Does the Congress want similar conditions in India?" he questioned, adding that democracy is rooted in India's traditions and people are capable of electing their governments.

Joshi also attacked Rahul over his opposition to Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, claiming that the exercise had been conducted 12 times in the past, including 10 times during Congress rule.

He said the revision was necessary to remove the names of deceased voters, people who had permanently shifted and duplicate entries from electoral rolls.

He claimed the Congress wanted names of infiltrators to be included in electoral rolls to gain political advantage.

INDIA bloc targeting constitutional bodies to confuse people: Tripura CM

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Saturday accused the Congress-led INDIA bloc of repeatedly targeting constitutional institutions, including the EC and the Supreme Court, to confuse people.

Addressing a rally in Agartala, Saha said while the country was progressing under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress and its allies were attacking constitutional bodies and opposing the SIR of electoral rolls.

"It appears the INDIA bloc is searching for alternative ways to capture power after failing to win electoral battles. They have become active in weakening constitutional institutions so that people lose trust in these bodies," he said.

Strongly backing the SIR exercise, Saha said the Supreme Court had already recognised the EC's authority to undertake the revision to prepare error-free electoral rolls and ensure free and fair elections.

"But the INDIA bloc is reluctant to accept the Supreme Court's view on SIR. They are trying to create an anarchic situation like that in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal by launching agitations, which is not possible in the world's largest democracy," he said.

Asserting that the BJP was committed to safeguarding democracy and the Constitution, Saha said the party would reach out to people and highlight the INDIA bloc's alleged role in weakening the country.

Mahua Moitra: 'Gyanesh has systematically decimated our democracy'

TMC MP Mahua Moitra hits out at CEC Gyanesh Kumar, alleging he systematically "decimated" India's democracy.

BJP accuses Kharge, Rahul of lying over SIR process

BJP MP Sambit Patra says, "No matter how many times you repeat a lie, it will never become the truth. The Chief Election Commissioner and the two other Commissioners sat together, released a photograph, and issued a statement explicitly declaring that the decision was reached unanimously. Furthermore, in the affidavit submitted following the Supreme Court's notice, it is clearly stated that the Commission’s decision was unanimous. So, Kharge ji, by repeatedly telling lies, you cannot prove Rahul Gandhi’s claims to be true..."

BJP hits out at Congress over 'mock' Parliament

On 'public impeachment' of CEC event, BJP MP Sambit Patra says, "The drama that the Congress party is currently staging, this 'mock parliament', is, in effect, making a mockery of the Parliament itself. Let all your speakers and participants there hear this: the very first instance of vote-stealing was committed by Nehru himself...The SIR process is currently ongoing. Across various states, the names of 13 crore people have not yet been included in the final electoral roll. Why is this the case? What is this 'ASDD' formula? 'A' stands for 'Absent'. There is an official known as a BLO (Booth Level Officer). The BLO is responsible for an 'enumeration form' that every individual is required to complete. The BLO visits your home three times with this form. If you are not present on any of these three occasions, you are marked as 'absent', and your name is excluded from the electoral roll. What about 'S' in 'ASDD'? It stands for 'Shifted'—permanently shifted..."

Deleted voters share their views

Kanta Prasad, a voter declared dead and deleted from electoral rolls during the SIR, gives his testimony during the "public impeachment". Prasad, a resident of Delhi's Mongolpuri, says he told the BLO, "I am alive but have been deleted from voter list as a dead voter", but was not restored as an elector.

Kamal, a resident of Delhi's Bela Estate, where 728 out of 729 voters were deleted during the SIR, says his grandfather's name exists in the electoral record of 1962, his family members have been on voter lists in every subsequent review, including 2002, but still his name and names of others in Bela Estate were deleted.

Kamal says his name had appeared at number 426 in the list and was marked as a deleted voter with "permanently shifted" given as the reason, even though he continues to reside at the same address.

BJP accuses Nehru of becoming PM through vote theft

On the INDIA bloc's symbolic public impeachment programme against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, BJP MP Sambit Patra says, "Today, regarding their allegation of vote theft, as Kharge ji was speaking about this issue of vote theft, I would like to tell Kharge ji: Yes, there is truth to the claim of vote theft. Vote theft did indeed take place. Today is October 31st. It is the birth anniversary of the revered Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. And if there was ever a vote theft in India, it was committed by the first member of the Gandhi family, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who stole the votes of prominent Congress leaders. Those leaders had cast their votes in a ballot box to elect Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as Prime Minister. By stealing those votes, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru became the Prime Minister of the country, an unelected Prime Minister."