New Delhi, Dec 10 Senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad launched a sharp counter-offensive against the Congress in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday during the debate on election reforms, accusing the opposition of raising doubts about the electoral process only when it faces defeat.
“When the opposition loses elections, it immediately starts questioning the credibility of the Election Commission and the entire electoral process. If the people of India are not voting for you, what can we do?” Prasad asked, drawing loud cheers from the Treasury benches.
Taking a dig at the Congress’ poor performance in the recent Bihar Assembly elections, the Patna Sahib MP said, “Despite massive rallies by the Congress and its leaders shouting SIR (Special Investigation Report) from rooftops, the people of Bihar gave them only five seats. The public sees the developmental work done by the BJP and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and votes for us. That is the reality.”
Prasad directly targeted Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, who had earlier delivered a scathing attack on the government over the SIR and appointment of Chief Election Commission and “vote chori”.
The BJP MP raised a serious objection to Venugopal’s speech and asked the chair to expunge whatever he had said as Venugopal is a party in the Supreme Court who have challenged the SIR. “KC Venugopal himself is a petitioner in a pending Supreme Court case regarding the appointment of Election Commissioners. A person who has approached the Supreme Court on the same subject has no moral right to speak on the floor of this House. I request the Chair to expunge his entire speech from the record,” he demanded.
The BJP leader urged the opposition to introspect instead of repeatedly blaming the Election Commission. “There is a need for serious self-reflection on why people are rejecting you again and again. Stop pointing fingers at the Election Commission every time you lose,” Prasad said.
Responding to the demand, Krishna Prasad Tenneti, who was in the chair in Lok Sabha, said that the House would examine the records and take appropriate action accordingly.
The heated exchange underscored the deepening divide between the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc over the controversial provisions of the electoral reforms and SIR (special intensive revision of voter lists), particularly the clause granting legal immunity to Election Commissioners and the composition of the selection committee.
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