Patna (Bihar) [India], October 26 : Union Minister and BJP's Bihar election in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday slammed Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, for levelling allegations against the Election Commission of India, saying he "belittles" a Constitutional body and Indian democracy.
Taking a jibe at Congress for opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar, Pradhan accused the party of instilling fear in a specific class.
Speaking to ANI, the BJP leader said, "These people walk around with the sacred Constitution in their hands and say they are going to save it. The Election Commission is a constitutional body, and every day, they abuse it. Rahul Gandhi goes abroad and belittles the Election Commission and democracy."
Further, he demanded that Congress apologise to the public.
"Election Commission successfully conducted the SIR. They (Congress) tried to instil fear in a specific class. Do these people want the common people of Bihar to share (resources) with the neighbouring Bangladeshis, with the Rohingyas? They should apologise to the people of Bihar. These are the people who steal the rights of Bihar," he said.
Invoking former Bihar Chief Minister and Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur ahead of the Assembly elections, Pradhan added, "In Bihar, only Karpoori Thakur is considered Jannayak. Rahul Gandhi has declared himself Jannayak. His sycophants, his followers, have shown extreme sycophancy. The people of Bihar are not fools. The people of Bihar are mature. They will give a befitting reply to these fools."
Dharmendra Pradhan's remarks came in response to Rahul Gandhi's "vote theft" allegations against the ECI.
Gandhi had alleged an attempt to delete over 6,000 votes in Karnataka's Aland, and also rallied against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar during his 'Voter Adhikar Yatra', which was organised across Bihar from August 17 to September 1.
While recently, at an event at EIA University of Colombia, Gandhi accused the BJP of "attacking India's democracy". The Congress leader took a swipe at the Narendra Modi government, asserting that the biggest challenge India is witnessing is the attack on its democracy.
The voting for the 243-seat Bihar Assembly will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, while the results will be declared on November 14.
The main contest is between the Nitish Kumar-led NDA and the RJD-led opposition alliance Mahagathbandhan.
NDA includes the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM).
Mahagathbandhan, led by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), includes Congress, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (CPI-ML), the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), and Mukesh Sahani's Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP).