New Delhi, 30 September (H.S.):

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the Congress and the INDIA bloc over their meeting and proposed nationwide campaign, accusing the opposition of spreading confusion and making what he described as fabricated allegations instead of reflecting on its own mistakes.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s remarks came after the INDIA bloc announced plans to organise a nationwide “Save Democracy March” from October 2 to 8 over concerns surrounding the electoral process and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Addressing a press conference at the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the Congress should repeatedly apologise for its mistakes and engage in introspection. Instead, he alleged, the party had decided against changing its approach.

He accused Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi of spreading confusion and making what he called false and fabricated allegations instead of apologising for their mistakes.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan also targeted the INDIA bloc over the absence of several parties from its meeting, arguing that differences within the alliance had become apparent even before the meeting began.

Questioning the absence of Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, he asked why the leader of a major political party from Uttar Pradesh, an important electoral state, was not present at the meeting.

He also referred to the absence of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Aam Aadmi Party and other opposition parties. Shivraj Singh Chouhan claimed that the INDIA bloc had reached a stage where its constituent parties were moving in different directions.

In the same context, he claimed that the alliance was not prepared to accept Rahul Gandhi as its leader.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan also took a swipe at reports about Rahul Gandhi urging Congress leaders during a Congress Working Committee meeting to have faith in him. Referring to the reported remarks, Chouhan said that if Gandhi had to ask members of his own party to trust him, it raised questions about the level of confidence in his leadership within the Congress itself.

On the proposed “Save Democracy March”, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said it should instead be described as a “Save Dynasty March”, portraying the opposition campaign as an effort to protect political families.

He also criticised the Congress’s electoral strategy, alleging that the party was already looking for explanations for a possible defeat ahead of upcoming elections.

Referring to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks ahead of the West Bengal elections, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said Gandhi had previously attributed the Bharatiya Janata Party’s prospects to alleged mistakes by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s comments come amid heightened political exchanges between the BJP and opposition parties over electoral procedures, voter-list revisions and the INDIA bloc’s proposed nationwide campaign.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar