Bhopal, April 21: Madhya Pradesh Minister Vishvas Sarang on Monday criticised Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for his recent comments about the Election Commission of India (ECI) during an event in Boston, USA.
Speaking to the media, Sarang questioned the maturity of the Congress leader, stating, “It is surprising when Rahul Gandhi will mature. He has consistently attempted to defame India on international platforms.” The minister alleged that Gandhi’s remarks amounted to undermining India’s constitutional institutions and accused him of damaging the nation’s reputation abroad.
“If he has become Leader of the Opposition, it is due to the democratic process and the will of the people. If the Election Commission was flawed, how did he, Priyanka Gandhi, or Sonia Gandhi get elected?” Sarang said. He further stated that while criticism within the country is acceptable, making such remarks abroad amounts to “an act of treason”.
The comments came in response to Rahul Gandhi’s address to the Indian diaspora in Boston, where he alleged that the Election Commission was “compromised” and pointed to irregularities in the voter data during the Maharashtra elections.
Gandhi claimed that 65 lakh additional voters were added to the voter list within just two hours, saying, “More people voted in Maharashtra than the total number of people in Maharashtra, and this is a fact… The EC gave us a figure at around 5:30 p.m., and by 7:30 p.m., 65 lakh more votes had been added. That is physically impossible.”
However, sources within the Election Commission have dismissed these claims as unfounded. They stated that political parties rarely submitted appeals or corrections under the relevant sections of the Representation of the People Act during the recent Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls, published in early January 2025.
