Guwahati, Oct 12: As protests demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation continued in New Delhi, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Monday, termed it as an attempt to bring about regime change in India, drawing parallels with developments in Nepal and Bangladesh.
Addressing a press meet at Loksewa Bhawan in Guwahati, Sarma accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of attempting to undermine democratic institutions and mislead party workers whenever he faced electoral defeat or anticipated a loss.
“This is an attempt to inflict a regime change in India, without popular support. This entire movement is supported by foreign powers, which does not want India to grow,” Sarma said.
He attributed the protests to the frustration of “dimagi naxals”, claiming that the government’s action against Naxalism, the restoration of peace in the Northeast and India’s military action inside Pakistan under Prime Minister Narendra Modi had strengthened the country.
“Every time Rahul Gandhi is defeated in elections or senses his upcoming defeat in polls, he undertakes such actions to mislead innocent Congress workers,” the Chief Minister said.
Questioning the Congress’s organisational strength, Sarma claimed that the party did not have polling agents at more than 70% of polling stations during the recently concluded Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll.
“BJP, AIUDF and independent candidates had deployed agents, while the Congress struggled to find people for the role,” Sarma said.
He further alleged that protesters in New Delhi were being brought in from Assam and other states, claiming that Gandhi lacked the manpower and public support to sustain the movement.
“He neither has manpower, nor support. Gandhi just wants to blackmail our democratic institutions. They want to instil fear in the Supreme Court and the Election Commission of India,” Sarma said, adding that people would resist Gandhi’s efforts.
Referring to Gandhi’s election certificate from Wayanad, Sarma questioned why the Congress leader has not returned it as a mark of protest.
The Chief Minister also challenged Congress legislators from Assam who participated in the protests to resign, arguing that they had won their elections during Gyanesh Kumar’s tenure as Chief Election Commissioner.
“Electronic voting machines were introduced during a Congress-led government, not by the BJP,” Sarma pointed out.
Sarma also said he was willing to contest elections using ballot papers in Assam if the Kerala government resigned or stepped down.
Meanwhile, the Assam BJP is scheduled to organise peaceful marches in support of democracy at district headquarters across the state from October 13.