A group of 272 eminent citizens comprising former judges and ambassadors, retired bureaucrats, and Armed Forces veterans, has come down heavily on the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi over repeated targeting and tarnishing of the constitutional institutions, including the Election Commission of India (ECI). The group of eminent citizens in an open letter on Wednesday expressed grave concern over several instances of Congress leaders 'belittling and demeaning' the highest democratic institutions, including the Armed Forces, Judiciary, Parliament and now the Election Commission of India. They said that the Leader of Opposition, along with Left allies, are resorting to rhetoric for defaming the Election Commission, rather than taking a legal route and lodging a complaint, in case of any irregularity. “The LoP has repeatedly attacked the Election Commission, declaring that he has open and shut proof that it is involved in vote theft and claims to have 100 per cent proof of wrongdoing. Using unbelievably uncouth rhetoric that what he has found is an atom bomb and when it explodes, the EC would have no place to hide. He has also issued threats that whoever in the Elections Commission is involved in this exercise, right from top to bottom, he will not spare them. According to him, ECI is indulging in treason,” the letter said.
The letter issued by Justice S.N. Dhingra, former Delhi High Court Judge, and Nirmal Kaur, IPS, former Jharkhand DGP, has about 272 signatories, which include former judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, ex-envoys, former bureaucrats and a score of Armed Forces veterans. Showing a mirror to the political parties, particularly Congress, over cribbing and complaining in the wake of electoral losses, it said, “When political leaders lose touch with the aspirations of ordinary citizens, they lash out at institutions instead of rebuilding their credibility. Theatrics replace analysis. Public spectacle takes the place of public service.” The letter called out the selective outrage of the parties in case of electoral setbacks and said this exposes their opportunism. It said that when the election results are in favour of Opposition parties, they find it fair and upright, but when the results are unfavourable, the poll panel becomes a villain in their narrative. The eminent citizens rallying behind the Election Commission said that it should continue its path of transparency and rigour, adding that the sanctity of electoral rolls is not a partisan issue; rather, it is a national imperative. “We call upon the Election Commission to continue its path of transparency and rigour. Publish complete data, defend itself through legal channels when necessary, and reject politics dressed up as victimhood,” it said.
The civil society also called upon the political leaders to respect the constitutional process and accept democratic verdicts with grace while reaffirming its unshakeable faith in various constitutional institutions and their integrity that lately came under fire from the Opposition, including -- Indian Armed Forces, the Indian Judiciary and Executive, and specifically the Election Commission.