New Delhi, Aug 10 (NationPress) Recently, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi 'uncovered' inconsistencies in the voter list of Karnataka's Mahadevapura Assembly constituency, which was praised by his party and supporters as a significant move against the BJP and its achievements at both the national and state levels.

However, this same Congress party and its allies have been opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar — an initiative by the Election Commission of India (ECI) aimed at purging the electoral rolls. Such contradictory positions raise troubling questions about the motives behind this 'expose politics.'

The SIR in Bihar was implemented to fix errors and update the electoral roll. The ECI reports that 65 lakh voters have been removed from the draft electoral rolls published on August 1. This includes 22 lakh deceased individuals, 36 lakh who have either moved permanently or are untraceable, and seven lakh voters registered at multiple addresses.

If the ECI is making efforts to cleanse and rectify the electoral rolls, why are the Congress party and other opposition factions opposing the SIR?

Since the Parliament's Monsoon Session commenced on July 21, the Congress-led opposition has disrupted daily activities. Aside from the discussions on Operation Sindoor, the session has been characterized by chaos rather than constructive work. Numerous essential bills remain unaddressed, with no discussions taking place. The atmosphere in Parliament has devolved into sloganeering, placard-waving, storming the Well of the House, banging on tables, and silencing those who attempt to speak.

If the SIR is indeed flawed, how can a Constitutional body like the ECI fulfill its obligation to cleanse the electoral roll? And if the ECI is unable to execute this task correctly, why would Rahul Gandhi bring up such issues in a press conference?

Rahul Gandhi's press conference on August 7 at the Congress headquarters in Delhi was not entirely unwarranted — inconsistencies do need to be highlighted and rectified. He presented on screen bizarre entries from Mahadevapura, such as 'dfojgaidf' as a father's name, '0' as a house number, and multiple entries for a single address. Similar concerns have been voiced by other parties, including the BJP, which has pointed out instances of fraudulent or illegal voters in West Bengal, where Bangladeshi nationals have reportedly participated in Indian elections.

Nonetheless, to disparage an entire election simply because it favored the PM Modi-led NDA over the Rahul Gandhi-led INDIA bloc is tantamount to insulting the voters. Gandhi has repeatedly used phrases like 'stealing voters.' Why not raise similar concerns about previous elections, before EVMs, when some of his political allies faced allegations of widespread poll rigging and booth capturing? Why not question the West Bengal elections, where the ruling Trinamool Congress has been accused of employing violence to intimidate both opponents and voters?

In 2021, the Supreme Court, while revoking bail in a West Bengal election violence case, referred to it as 'a grave attack on the roots of democracy.' This case involved four men charged with assaulting a BJP worker, vandalizing his home, and forcibly undressing and molesting his wife on the day the election results were declared. Such incidents underscore the gravity of the issue. Why doesn't Rahul Gandhi champion such causes and combat political violence for the sake of democracy?

Regrettably, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha appears to be adopting a style of activism akin to AAP founder Arvind Kejriwal, who remained in constant protest mode even while in power. Rahul Gandhi's political approach in recent years has become increasingly confrontational, often involving criticism of Constitutional bodies, the Armed Forces, and the Office of the Prime Minister.

The issue isn't ambition — it's desperation. Like the Eagles' classic song 'Desperado' (1973), Gandhi seems 'out riding fences for so long now,' grasping at every chance to undermine the government. During the August 7 press conference, while accusing the ruling party of 'stealing' votes, he inadvertently revealed his desperation to win and become the Prime Minister. In this 'desperado' state, he often expresses extreme views during critical moments for the country, such as Operation Sindoor, when his statements appeared to favor Pakistan. Or now, as former US President Donald Trump is playing tariff tricks with India.

Leadership is about fostering trust, not diminishing confidence in democratic institutions. At 55, Rahul Gandhi should recognize that exposing wrongs is essential, but it doesn’t imply that the country itself is flawed. As the Supreme Court once advised him concerning remarks about the Indian Army: 'If you are a true Indian, you wouldn't say such a thing.' A principle worth remembering — and adhering to.

(Deepika Bhan can be reached at deepika.b@ians.in)