New Delhi, Oct 31 : Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday challenged the Congress to answer a series of questions on its electoral performance, appointment of Election Commissioners and revision of voter lists, ahead of the INDIA bloc’s rally at Ramlila Maidan here.
In a post on X, Rijiju questioned how the Congress managed to win only 44 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections when Election Commissioners had been appointed during its tenure in government.
He also referred to the party’s electoral performance in 2024 and questioned its criticism of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
“When Gyanesh Kumar was not CEC in 2024, how did Congress face a hat-trick defeat? Will present Congress CMs resign and also apologise for forming the governments during 2014 to 2026?” he asked.
Rijiju also questioned whether names of illegal immigrants, deceased persons, people who had shifted residence and duplicate entries should be removed from electoral rolls.
He cited several Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercises conducted between 1952 and 2004 and asked whether those revisions were illegal.
The minister also alleged that a “one-family party”, along with outside forces, was attempting to undermine the Constitution and Indian democracy.
His remarks came a day before the INDIA bloc’s proposed rally at Ramlila Maidan against alleged irregularities in the electoral roll revision process and seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday announced a ‘Chalo Dilli’ march from the Minto Road-Connaught Place junction to Ramlila Maidan on November 1.
In a post on X, Gandhi invited people to join the march, scheduled to begin at noon and pass through Ajmeri Gate before reaching the venue.
However, Delhi Police sources said no permission had been sought for the proposed march from Connaught Place to Ramlila Maidan. The police have granted permission for the rally at Ramlila Maidan, subject to conditions.
Police also said prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita were in force in parts of New Delhi.
