BJP Hits Out at Rahul Gandhi Over CJI Meeting Request, Says Constitutional Institutions Must Stay Above Politics
BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia accuses the Congress leader of turning constitutional principles into political theatre after Chief Justice Surya Kant declines a meeting over vote-rigging allegations.
NEW DELHI, Oct 12: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for seeking a meeting with Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, asserting that constitutional institutions must remain independent of political disputes.
BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia accused Gandhi of misrepresenting constitutional principles for political purposes after the Chief Justice declined to meet him and other Opposition leaders over allegations of “vote chori”.
In a post on X, Bhatia said Gandhi had confused the constitutional principle of separation of powers with political manoeuvring.
“From separation of powers to desperation for power, Rahul Gandhi has confused constitutional law with political theatre!” he said.
Bhatia said the CJI’s decision not to meet the Congress leader and other Opposition representatives sent an important message about maintaining the judiciary’s independence from day to day political controversies.
“Constitutional institutions cannot be dragged into political theatrics,” the BJP spokesperson said.
Continuing his attack, Bhatia said displaying a copy of the Constitution did not necessarily demonstrate an understanding of its principles.
“Read it. Respect it. And learn the doctrine of separation of powers. The Constitution is a guide to governance, not a prop for political performance!” he added.
The BJP’s remarks came as Opposition parties intensified their campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of electoral irregularities.
Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had sought an appointment with CJI Surya Kant on Monday to submit a memorandum raising concerns about alleged “vote chori”.
According to sources, the Chief Justice declined the request, citing the fact that similar matters were already pending before the Supreme Court.
Gandhi and Kharge had requested a meeting between 4 pm and 5 pm to present their memorandum and seek action on several demands related to the electoral process.
These included the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner, an end to alleged electoral manipulation, suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and a return to paper ballots.
The Opposition parties also planned to march towards the Supreme Court as part of their ongoing protest against the Election Commission.
The controversy has further sharpened the political confrontation between the BJP and the Congress over the conduct of elections and the functioning of constitutional bodies.
While the Congress and its allies have raised concerns about electoral integrity, the BJP has criticised their approach, arguing that constitutional institutions should not be drawn into partisan political campaigns.
The latest exchange highlights the continuing dispute over allegations of electoral malpractice and the appropriate forums for addressing such concerns.
