New Delhi, August 11: Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday strongly criticised the Opposition over its protest march against the Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, calling it “the most irresponsible opposition” he has ever seen. He accused the Congress and the INDIA bloc of lacking faith in the Supreme Court, Parliament, and the Election Commission of India (ECI).
“They only attack our constitutional bodies. Why do they do so much drama on a daily basis? I have not seen such an irresponsible opposition. Important bills are listed – we can’t tolerate more,” Rijiju said, urging the Opposition to engage in parliamentary debate instead of disrupting proceedings.
His remarks came after Delhi Police detained several INDIA bloc MPs, including Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, citing the absence of permission for the protest. The MPs had marched towards the ECI office at Nirvachan Sadan, raising slogans of “vote chor,” but were stopped near Transport Bhawan. The protest was in response to alleged voter fraud during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the ongoing SIR exercise in poll-bound Bihar.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also took aim at Rahul Gandhi, alleging that he was “under pressure from anti-national forces” and intent on defaming India’s democratic institutions. “Rahul Gandhi is repeatedly lying and wants to spread anarchy. He has defamed the Election Commission, the Supreme Court, and the CAG. He questioned the army’s valor, raised doubts over EVMs without proof, and after the Supreme Court’s rebuke, has now moved on to SIR,” Chouhan said.
Chouhan further challenged the Opposition’s claims by asking whether Congress victories in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, or government formations in Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Jharkhand, were also the result of alleged irregularities in voter lists.
The confrontation marks yet another escalation in tensions between the ruling BJP and the Opposition, as both sides trade accusations ahead of key state polls.
