New Delhi, 12 October (H.S.): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Anurag Thakur has accused the Congress and Rahul Gandhi of attempting to exert pressure on the judiciary and adopting a confrontational approach towards constitutional institutions. Addressing a press conference at the BJP's central office on Monday, Thakur alleged that the Congress was trying to influence the judicial process by threatening street protests to press for the fulfilment of its political demands.

He said the court had asked the parties concerned to file a formal petition in the matter, but the Congress and Rahul Gandhi were repeatedly reiterating the same allegations in an attempt to shape the political narrative. According to Thakur, the Congress's strategy was clear: whenever it failed to secure power, it attempted to create an atmosphere of disorder in the country.

Targeting Rahul Gandhi, Thakur claimed that he had faced setbacks in several cases before the courts in the past and had also been compelled to apologise in certain instances. He alleged that Rahul Gandhi was now taking to the streets and repeatedly making the same assertions in an attempt to establish them as the truth in the public mind.

The BJP MP said the judiciary must be respected in a democracy and that established legal procedures should be followed whenever there is disagreement over any matter. He accused the Congress of attempting to put pressure on the judicial system to advance its political demands.

During the press conference, Thakur also questioned the allegations being levelled by the Congress regarding electoral irregularities. Referring to the party's history, he said that a political party which had itself faced allegations of electoral malpractice should examine its own past before accusing others.

Citing the Emergency, he accused the Congress of undermining the democratic system. Thakur said the party should answer questions about its political history and its approach towards democracy before raising doubts about the electoral process.

Thakur also referred to the 1989 Lok Sabha elections, specifically the electoral contest between Rajiv Gandhi and Rajmohan Gandhi. Describing the contest as “Fake Gandhi versus Real Gandhi”, he used the example to target the Congress.

The BJP MP questioned Rahul Gandhi about the number of polling stations that were allegedly captured during that election. He said the Congress should also inform the younger generation about these aspects of its political history.

Through these questions, Thakur sought to highlight what he described as contradictions between the Congress's electoral history and its current allegations concerning the electoral process.

The BJP MP further alleged that, instead of accepting election results and judicial verdicts, the Congress repeatedly sought to create controversy. He maintained that political parties have the right to raise their demands in a democracy, but they should not resort to pressuring the judiciary or other constitutional institutions.

Thakur urged Rahul Gandhi and the Congress to respect judicial procedures and raise allegations concerning electoral irregularities before the appropriate legal forums.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar