New Delhi/Bhubaneswar, August 11 – Union Education Minister and senior BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan launched a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the Congress party, and the INDIA bloc on Monday, accusing them of indulging in vote bank politics and attempting to weaken constitutional institutions.
Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi, Pradhan said the Congress was “trying to bake its political bread by giving voting rights to infiltrators” and accused the party of “blatant abuse of the Constitution.”
Allegations Against Congress
- Baseless Attacks on EC: Pradhan said Rahul Gandhi and Congress were making unfounded allegations against the Election Commission, an independent constitutional body, to create anarchy in the country.
- Politicising SIR: He noted that the Specially Revised Voter List (SIR) process was a regular, nationwide exercise of the Election Commission, not a political tool, and accused Congress of misrepresenting it to push their “infiltrator-friendly” agenda.
- Vote Bank Politics: Pradhan alleged that Congress aimed to add the names of Bangladeshi infiltrators to voter lists as part of their appeasement strategy.
Congress in “Despair” After Defeats
Pradhan said the Congress had been in “a state of despair” since its repeated defeats in 2014, 2019, and 2024, with no clear agenda or policy. “First, they questioned EVMs, then spread falsehoods about Rafale, supported China during border disputes, and even questioned the Indian Army’s integrity,” he said.
He also accused Congress leaders of lacking ideological vision and combining “anarchy with arrogance” as a political strategy. “If they win, they praise the system. If they lose, they blame it,” he remarked.
Pradhan thanked the Indian media for exposing what he called Rahul Gandhi’s “lies” through fact-based reporting in recent days. He criticised Congress for using provocative language against the Election Commission, calling it an attack on the country’s constitutional institutions.
EC’s Role and Process
Highlighting that adding or deleting names from voter rolls had been a continuous process since independence, Pradhan said, “If genuine voters are deleted, there’s a complete process to re-add them. Instead of following the procedure, Congress is trying to create unrest.”
He urged Congress to present affidavits with evidence to the Election Commission rather than making public accusations.
Targeting Congress’s Intentions
The Union Minister reiterated that Congress’s goal was to grant voting rights to infiltrators. “Rahul Gandhi wants to hand over the country’s rights to foreigners – this is his inherent vote bank politics and appeasement policy,” Pradhan said, adding that the BJP strongly condemned such attempts to undermine democracy.
