Does the Election Commission Only Work for Victory? Tarun Chugh Challenges Opposition

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Chugh's Critique: Highlights the Opposition's inconsistent stance on the ECI.
- INDIA Bloc's Response: Expressed disappointment with the ECI meeting.
- Electoral Integrity: Importance of consistent narratives in politics.
- Kanwar Yatra: A significant pilgrimage being politicized.
- Trust in Democracy: Essential for all parties to uphold electoral integrity.
New Delhi, July 4 (NationPress) BJP's national general secretary Tarun Chugh criticized the Opposition on Friday, asserting that they commend the Election Commission when they win elections but engage in a blame game when faced with defeat.
Chugh's comments came after a meeting of the INDIA Bloc delegation with the Election Commission of India (ECI) on July 2, where they protested the recently introduced “Special Intensive Revision” (SIR) of Bihar’s electoral rolls. Many leaders from the Opposition characterized this meeting as “disappointing” and “unfriendly.”
In an interview with IANS, Chugh stated, “After their defeat, INDIA Bloc leaders make wild allegations without any facts. When they win in Telangana, Himachal, and Karnataka, then EVMs are fine and the ECI is good. But as soon as people reject them across the country—including in Maharashtra and Haryana—they suddenly claim the elections are rigged and the EVMs faulty. This is sheer double standards and exposes their double character.”
Chugh also responded to AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, who criticized both the BJP and Congress during a party membership campaign in Ahmedabad, likening their relationship to a “husband-wife” alliance.
In retaliation, Chugh remarked, “Kejriwal should first explain his own backroom deals. He once called Congress the most corrupt party and claimed to have ‘two sacks of evidence’ against them and Sheila Dikshit. But the mouth of that sack has never opened. Instead, he formed an unholy government with them in Delhi. How many Lok Sabha elections has AAP fought in alliance with Congress? The people have given them a fitting reply for that alliance.”
Chugh further condemned the Opposition for their repeated controversial statements regarding the Kanwar Yatra.
“It is one of Sanatan Dharma’s most sacred and challenging pilgrimages, undertaken with strict fasting rituals during the holy month of Sawan,” he stated.
“Yet the INDIA bloc tries to politicise it for vote-bank gains. I urge them to stop this cheap politics. The insults hurled at Kanwariyas—devotees of Lord Shiva undertaking this spiritual journey—are nothing but an attack on Sanatan traditions. Sadly, opposing Sanatan has become a fashionable trend in the Congress and INDIA bloc alliance,” he concluded.