‘Save democracy’: Oppn tarnishing constitutional institutions image, says BJP

New Delhi:Led by union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, the Delhi unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday took out a “save democracy” march in East Delhi, alleging that the Opposition is creating an atmosphere of anarchy and tarnishing the image of constitutional institutions

New Delhi:Led by union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, the Delhi unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday took out a “save democracy” march in East Delhi, alleging that the Opposition is creating an atmosphere of anarchy and tarnishing the image of constitutional institutions.

Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal at a BJP march in east Delhi on Wednesday. (HT Photo)

“If the Opposition had any objections to the functioning of the election commission (EC), it should have raised them through democratic and constitutional procedures. Instead, Congress chose the path of political demonstrations and pressure tactics,” Meghwal said.

The march came days after the Congress-led INDIA bloc held a rally at Ramlila Maidan over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Meghwal said the allegations repeatedly levelled by Congress and other Opposition parties against the EC are not backed by any “concrete evidence”.

“Congress and the Opposition parties have made statements that amounted to challenging the Supreme Court. No individual can arbitrarily put pressure on the judiciary. This entire episode demonstrates how Congress is attempting to drag the country’s constitutional institutions into political controversies and create an atmosphere of anarchy,” he alleged.

The march began near Karkardooma Mor with hundreds of BJP supporters, and culminated near Nirman Vihar amid chants like “Modi Kahin Nahin Jayenge (Modi will not go anywhere)”.

Over a challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to hold a debate, Delhi BJP president and union minister Harsh Malhotra said, “BJP is ready to discuss the corruption that took place during the tenure of the Congress-led UPA government. We are also ready to discuss the brutal massacre of innocent Sikhs in 1984 under Congress rule.”

“The right to decide who enters Parliament belongs to citizens, not infiltrators. The EC is taking action in such matters in accordance with the law,” he added.

He said that the EVMs were introduced during the Congress-led UPA rule. “When Congress wins elections, EVMs are acceptable, but when it loses, it starts demanding a return to ballot papers,” he added.