A group of 272 retired judges, senior bureaucrats, former Army officers and diplomats have strongly criticised Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and the Congress.
They have accused Gandhi of trying to damage the reputation of important constitutional bodies like the Election Commission through the party’s “vote chori” campaign. The group issued an open letter saying the allegations are an “attempt to drape political frustration in the garb of institutional crisis”.
The letter has 272 signatories, including 16 retired judges, 123 former bureaucrats (14 of them ambassadors) and 133 retired armed forces officers. Some well-known names include former J&K DGP SP Vaid, former RAW chief Sanjeev Tripathi, and former IFS officer Laxmi Puri.
This comes at a time when Rahul Gandhi is repeatedly criticising the SIR process and the Election Commission, accusing them of allowing “vote chori.” The Congress has said the Election Commission’s behaviour during the SIR process has been “deeply disappointing” and has asked the poll body to prove it is not working under the BJP’s influence.
What did they say in the letter?
In their letter titled “Assault on National Constitutional Authorities,” the signatories wrote, “We, the senior citizens of civil society, express our grave concern that India’s democracy is under assault, not by force, but by a rising tide of venomous rhetoric directed toward its foundational institutions. Some political leaders, instead of offering genuine policy alternative, resort to provocative but unsubstantiated accusations in their theatrical political strategy.”
They said that after targeting the Armed Forces, the Judiciary, Parliament, and its key officials, Rahul Gandhi and others are now attacking the Election Commission. They accused him of repeatedly claiming that he has clear proof that the Election Commission is involved in vote theft.
Criticism of Rahul Gandhi’s remarks
The letter calls his “atom bomb” remark “unbelievably uncouth rhetoric” and notes that “Yet, despite such scathing accusations, there has been no formal complaint filed by him, along with the prescribed sworn affidavit, to escape his accountability for levelling unsubstantiated allegations and threatening public servants in performance of their duty.”
It also says that several Congress leaders, other political parties, left-leaning NGOs, scholars, and “attention seekers” have joined in the criticism of the SIR process, even calling the Election Commission the “B-team of the BJP”. The letter says this rhetoric falls apart because the Election Commission has already made its SIR methodology public, followed court-approved verification methods, removed ineligible names, and added eligible voters. It concludes that these accusations are an “attempt to drape political frustration in the garb of institutional crisis.”
Selective outrage over election results
The letter adds that the behaviour of Congress leaders shows what it calls “impotent rage” – anger that comes from repeated election losses and having no clear plan to connect with voters.
It says, “When political leaders lose touch with the aspirations of ordinary citizens, they lash out at institutions instead of rebuilding their credibility. Theatrics replace analysis. Public spectacle takes the place of public service.” The letter also calls out the “selective outrage” that disappears when the Congress wins a state but returns when it loses.
The signatories also mention former Chief Election Commissioners TN Seshan and N Gopalaswami, saying their firm leadership helped turn the Election Commission into a strong constitutional body.