ATTACK ON THE FOUNDATION OF DEMOCRACY

ATTACK ON THE FOUNDATION OF DEMOCRACY

21-NOV-ENG 21

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA-----------------------------The Election Commission of India (ECI) is the fulcrum of Indian democracy. When Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, launches a direct and serious attack on the country's electoral process, which has been built on its autonomy and impartiality for nearly 75 years, it cannot be dismissed as mere "political rhetoric." Calling the ECI the "B-team of the Modi government" and leveling baseless allegations of "vote theft" appears to be part of a deliberate strategy—a strategy whose ultimate goal is to permanently destroy public trust by framing the electoral defeat as a constitutional institutional failure.

This crisis has now reached the level of institutional defense. 272 ​​eminent retired citizens of the country—including 16 former judges, 123 bureaucrats (including 14 former ambassadors), and 133 former military officers—have issued an open letter strongly condemning these malicious attempts by the Congress Party. This intervention is not a simple political reaction; This is a collective discourse of judicial, administrative, and military experience that is reminding the political class of the Lakshman Rekha of constitutional decorum.

Further fueling his allegations, Rahul Gandhi claimed that he possessed evidence of vote theft that was like an "atom bomb," and that if it exploded, "the Election Commission would not be seen in India." This rhetoric reflects less a commitment to democracy and more a commitment to generating sensational media discourse.

The biggest contradiction that shatters constitutional decorum comes to light when the ECI presents factual evidence: The ECI clarified that despite having the statutory right to challenge the election results under Section 80 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, not a single election petition was filed by the defeated Congress candidates against the 2024 Lok Sabha election results. If Rahul Gandhi indeed possessed "atom bomb"-like evidence, what prevented the political party from presenting it in court? Deliberately ignoring legal forums and then leveling baseless allegations against millions of election workers is a "highly irresponsible approach." This strategy is to win the propaganda war rather than fight the legal battle.

The ECI described Rahul Gandhi's statement, in which he warned officials involved in voter list manipulation that they "will not be spared," as "misleading, baseless, and threatening." Issuing executive warnings to officials of a constitutional body by a political party is a direct and unacceptable attack on institutional neutrality.

The central allegation of the retired officers' letter is that this attack on the ECI is not an isolated incident, but a widespread conspiracy that questions the valor of the Indian Armed Forces and the impartiality of the judiciary. The letter clearly states that India's democracy is being challenged not by the use of force, but by the "toxic political rhetoric" being spread against its fundamental institutions.

It is a serious allegation that some leaders resort to inflammatory and baseless accusations in their "theatrics politics" instead of presenting real policy alternatives. This intervention by 272 eminent citizens is a warning: jeopardizing constitutional credibility for political gain is pushing the nation towards anarchy.

The Congress Party attempted to dismiss this criticism by saying, "The abusive language must stop, but it cannot be one-sided." This defense is weak. Challenging the legitimacy of the entire process by accusing a constitutional institution of "vote theft" is qualitatively more dangerous than any indecent comment made at an individual level. When institutional credibility is attacked, the entire system crumbles.

This is a decisive moment for Indian democracy. Political parties must understand that maintaining the dignity of constitutional institutions is their supreme national responsibility. If attempts are made every time to undermine constitutional pillars for political differences, the result will be nothing but constitutional suicide. Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party must either provide legal evidence of their "atom bomb" or immediately end this irresponsible campaign to defame constitutional institutions. The future of democracy cannot be sacrificed for political gain.