Kharge: EC ‘gent of Modi Govt, RSS Anti-Freedom

The veteran leader gave a stirring speech in Sasaram, a Congress stronghold in Bihar, which the party wrested back from the BJP in last year's parliamentary polls, before a fortnight-long 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' was flagged off by Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha.

Kharge referred to the speech by Gandhi, who spoke before him and alleged that 1 crore voters' names were added in Maharashtra in the period between the Lok Sabha elections and the assembly polls held a few months later, and claimed that "all appeared to have voted for the BJP-led coalition".

The Congress president, who alleged that similar attempts were on in Bihar with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls just ahead of assembly polls, said, "The Election Commission seems to have become an agent of the government at the Centre."

He alleged that with a view to ensuring that the poll panel remained pliant, "The Modi government decided to have a Union minister in the selection committee for the Election Commission, ignoring the Supreme Court's advice that the Chief Justice of India be included".

Kharge also launched a frontal attack on PM Narendra Modi, saying, "He had the temerity to claim, from the ramparts of the Red Fort at Delhi on the Independence Day, that RSS deserved credit for the country's freedom. RSS volunteers had worked for the British imperialists, whom they informed on about activities of the real freedom fighters and sought favours, like clemency, in return."

"The freedom fighters of the country, who shed blood, sweat and tears for their motherland, must be turning in their graves upon hearing the statement of Narendra Modi, who seems to be such a dangerous man. He poses a threat to the Constitution and the right to vote enshrined therein. It is the duty of the people to protect these rights by dethroning him. I am sure that the people of Bihar, who had valiantly fought during the Quit India movement of 1942, would rise to the occasion," said Kharge.

He claimed the RSS has always been opposed to democracy and had criticised the first prime minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru, for introducing universal adult suffrage. "They had taunted him that the women, whom he was empowering, would one day turn against him and vote him out of power. That mindset prevails till date," he alleged.

Kharge also took potshots at the Nitish Kumar government in the state, alleging that it was being run by people "who seem to be blind and deaf". "I have learnt that attempts were made to prevent our workers from receiving us at the helipad here," he said. The final speech at the rally was delivered by RJD president Lalu Prasad, who had turned up despite failing health, accompanying his son Tejashwi Yadav, the INDIA bloc's de facto chief ministerial candidate.

Prasad spoke barely for a few minutes and in a feeble voice, seated in his chair, flanked by Gandhi and Kharge. "I urge you people to stand united, drive out the BJP-RSS combine and strengthen democracy," said the RJD supremo, who evoked peals of laughter as he crooned a stanza from a traditional Bhojpuri number with a hint of ribaldry.

The septuagenarian ended his speech with chants of "Rahul Gandhi zindabad, Kharge ji zindabad, Tejashwi Yadav zindabad". Yadav, who has in the past few months made a slew of promises that he would fulfil upon forming a government, charged the NDA, which has been ruling the state for two decades, with running a "copycat" administration.

"For quite some time, the Nitish Kumar government has been coming up with announcements which have been copied from our promises. The latest example is the waiving of charges levied on forms to be filled up by those appearing in competitive exams. But I am sure that the people of Bihar can no longer trust this insincere government and they will vote for a change," said Yadav, a former Deputy CM who is currently the leader of the opposition.

Among other leaders who spoke on the occasion, CPI(ML) general Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya and Vikassheel Insan Party chief Mukesh Sahni lashed out at the Election Commission for "remaining unresponsive to our concerns all through but addressing a press conference on a day we have hit the streets".

CPI(M) politburo member Subhashini Ali said, "I would urge the women of Bihar to take part in the yatra in large numbers. This is because we have learnt that among the 65 lakh people whose names have been dropped from the draft electoral rolls, women form a sizeable proportion."