Guwahati, Oct. 16: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his criticism of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, accusing him of selectively questioning the Election Commission of India (ECI) and attempting to pressure constitutional institutions.
Sarma argued that opposition leaders questioning the credibility of the electoral process should first be prepared to relinquish their elected positions, alleging that they were selectively accepting or rejecting the Election Commission's authority depending on electoral outcomes.
“Before discussing the SIR, you must address your own morality. The SIR exercise has taken place in Kerala and West Bengal as well. As long as your own Chief Minister in Kerala does not resign, you cannot selectively question the SIR. You cannot have everything your way like when you win, the SIR is good, and when you lose, it becomes bad,” Sarma said.
The Assam Chief Minister further accused Rahul Gandhi of attempting to intimidate institutions, businessmen and the judiciary through his political campaigns. Referring to Gandhi's alleged call for people to march towards the Supreme Court, Sarma accused the Congress leader of trying to exert pressure on constitutional bodies.
“He is trying to blackmail institutions and businessmen. He has even tried to put pressure on the Supreme Court by asking people to march towards it. Rahul Gandhi is the number one blackmailer,” Sarma alleged.
Sarma also questioned Gandhi's political vision, accusing him of advocating a model of regime change that relied on street mobilisation rather than democratic processes. He invoked the political transitions in India, particularly in Karnataka, to argue that voters could change governments through elections.
“He has no vision for India. He wants to bring Bangladesh and Nepal onto the streets of Delhi. People will never accept this concept of regime change. India is a democratic and peaceful country, and if we do not like a government, we remove it through the ballot,” Sarma said.
“Karnataka is an example. Sometimes people elect a BJP government, then replace it with Congress, and later bring the BJP back to power. Governments can be changed through democratic means. We do not need street power or mob power,” he added.
The Chief Minister maintained that opposition leaders questioning the SIR exercise and the Election Commission should also be willing to question the validity of their own electoral victories.
“If you want to question the SIR and the Election Commission, you must first resign from the position you hold. You have the same certificate issued by the Election Commission as Narendra Modi. If your certificate is valid, then Modi's certificate must also be valid. You cannot adopt such a selective approach,” Sarma said.
His remarks come amid continuing political disagreements over the SIR exercise and the role of the Election Commission in maintaining electoral rolls.
Opposition leaders took their fight over the electoral rolls to the Supreme Court on Monday, filing a petition that alleges large-scale voter deletions and irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) while a march of supporters moved through the capital.
The Supreme Court, on Thursday, sought responses from the Election Commission of India (ECI) and its top officials on the petition filed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders.
The Assam unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) subsequently organised rallies on Wednesday in Guwahati, Silchar and Jorhat as part of a statewide mass awareness campaign, backing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.