NEW DELHI: A total of 42 former judges on Thursday expressed deep concern over Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar being called “puppet”, “thief” and “compromised” from the public platforms, which they called “calculated campaign driven by vested political interests”.The veterans took strong exception to “officers”, who conduct the elections, being called names and shamed with “warning of reprisal once power changes hands”.“This appears to be a calculated campaign driven by vested political interests, with little regard for the potentially devastating consequences of destabilising the world’s largest democracy,” the 42 veterans said.“Activist outfits with a long record of selective litigation lend these claims a veneer of legality. They file petition, one after the other. They seldom file proof,” the letter said in an apparent attack on CJP, which has been levelling serious charges against CEC Gyanesh Kumar over a reported dissent within the poll body.Veterans also said that “criticism of institutions is a democratic right. Denigration is not”.They also hit out at the Congress party, which has doubled down on its verbal assault on Gyanesh Kumar, by questioning how the party’s victory through the same EVM goes unquestioned.The ex-service members also highlighted how ECI’s demand for sworn declaration was not submitted by the Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi.“A party that governed this nation for over five decades now claims that the very system which elected it is rigged. It does not act alone. Activist outfits with a long record of selective litigation lend these claims a veneer of legality. They file petition, one after the other. They seldom file proof,” the letter wrote.
Rahul alleges criminal conspiracy
This comes as Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, after hosting a lunch for INDIA bloc leaders for the second consecutive day, declared that the opposition would be heading to Gandhi Memorial for a peaceful sit-in.Whereas, Rahul Gandhi again attacked Gyanesh Kumar, along with PM Modi, home minister Amit Shah and RSS Mohan Bhagwat, accusing them of “hijacking democracy” through criminal conspiracy.The party on Thursday said the opposition was fighting to protect democracy, voters, and the common people of the country.The development comes amid the opposition’s ongoing protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
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Kharge hosted the lunch for INDIA bloc leaders at a restaurant in the national capital on Thursday. The lunch is likely to be followed by a protest, sources said.Addressing reporters, Congress General Secretary, Organisation, KC Venugopal said the opposition’s fight was aimed at protecting democracy and the rights of voters.
CJP repeats ‘vote theft ‘ charge
Meanwhile, CJP founder Abhijit Dipke accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “murdering democracy and vote theft,” and said protests will go on till CEC Gyanesh Kumar resigns from his post.Presiding over a protest held by civil society group and CJP here against SIR, he alleged that voter deletions under the Special Intensive Revision were aimed at disenfranchising those opposed to the BJP and accused PM Modi and the Election Commission of murdering democracy and causing vote theft.
