"INDIA Bloc is Shattered": Shivraj Singh Chouhan Mocks Absence of...
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has sharply criticized the INDIA bloc following the absence of key leaders like Akhilesh Yadav, Hemant Soren, and...
By GT24x7 Reporter··GlobalToday24x7
Shivraj Singh Chouhan Takes Jibe at INDIA Bloc's Internal Divisions
Union Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched a scathing attack on the opposition INDIA bloc on Wednesday, questioning the unity and leadership of the alliance. Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi on September 30, Chouhan pointed to the notable absence of prominent regional leaders—including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Aam Aadmi Party's Arvind Kejriwal, and DMK's M.K. Stalin—from a crucial opposition meeting held earlier in the day. The meeting was primarily convened by the opposition to formulate a joint strategy on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the Election Commission.
Chouhan asserted that the opposition coalition is "shattered" and characterized its state as fragmented, remarking that the constituent parties are pulling in different directions. He claimed that the internal discord is primarily driven by an unwillingness among alliance members to accept Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as their collective leader. "Today there was an INDI alliance meeting, but the alliance had already fallen apart even before the meeting," Chouhan stated, highlighting the strained relations between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.
During the press conference, Chouhan strongly condemned the INDIA bloc's decision to launch a nationwide protest program from October 2 to 8, originally designated by the opposition as a "Save Democracy March." The Union Minister mocked the initiative, renaming it the "Save Dynasty March." He accused the opposition parties of prioritizing their respective political families over democratic principles, stating that their actions are driven by "zero vision, 100 per cent frustration, and an advance excuse for defeat."
The BJP leader further alleged that the Congress and its allies are deliberately undermining independent democratic institutions, including the Election Commission and the judiciary. He argued that whenever the opposition wins elections, they praise democracy, but when they face electoral defeat, they resort to spreading misinformation and casting doubt on the electoral process.
Defense of Voter List Verification Process
Responding to the opposition's concerns regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Chouhan strongly defended the Election Commission's ongoing efforts to verify and clean the voter lists. He emphasized that maintaining an accurate voter list is the essential "spirit of democracy."
Chouhan questioned the opposition's motives for raising objections, asking rhetorically why the names of deceased individuals, those holding dual residencies, or non-citizens should remain on the electoral rolls. The Union Minister concluded by stating that the ultimate decision regarding who leads the country rests with the people, not with individual political leaders or fragmented alliances attempting to preemptively explain away their anticipated electoral losses.