Congress Leader’s Remark on Election Commission Sparks Political Storm

 The derogatory remarks made by Congress Maharashtra MLC Bhai Jagtap about the Election Commission of India (ECI) have ignited a significant political controversy, drawing sharp criticism from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. The BJP accused the Opposition of indulging in divisive politics rather than addressing its own shortcomings.

The controversy erupted when Jagtap intensified his attacks on the Election Commission following the Maharashtra assembly election results, which saw the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance perform poorly. In his remarks, Jagtap referred to the ECI as "PM Narendra Modi's dog," accusing the commission of acting under the influence of the Prime Minister. “The Election Commission is like a dog, acting as a dog, sitting outside Narendra Modi ji's bungalow. All the agencies that were created to strengthen our democracy have now become puppets, acting under the influence of Narendra Modi ji,” Jagtap was quoted as saying by IANS.

Aligning with his party's narrative, Jagtap also raised doubts about the credibility of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), claiming that India’s democracy had been “disreputed” due to the Election Commission’s alleged sycophantic behavior. He further questioned the consistency of the EVM system, pointing to past statements by prominent leaders like Prime Minister Modi and BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani, who had voiced concerns about EVM reliability before. “The PM of the country had spoken about ballot papers when he was the CM of Gujarat. So, what happened now? Lal Krishna Advani had also said the same. They say we are raising this issue because we lost the election, but they too had raised it in the past. If the EVMs are faulty, they should be replaced – that is what we are saying,” Jagtap argued.

Jagtap also reflected on Congress’ initial support for EVMs, noting that the technology was adopted in India after being successfully used in countries like France and the United States. However, he suggested that concerns over the technology began emerging post-2009.

The BJP swiftly condemned Jagtap’s comments, with Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia denouncing the derogatory remarks about the Election Commission and the EVMs. The Maharashtra BJP filed an official complaint against Congress leader Ashok A Jagtap for his inflammatory comparison of the Election Commission to a dog. BJP leader Kirit Somaiya stated, "I have written to the Election Commission and also filed a complaint with the Mumbai Police Commissioner. Such an insult to the Election Commission, a constitutional body, cannot be tolerated. Action should be initiated against Bhai Jagtap."

Despite the backlash, Jagtap refused to retract or apologize for his statement. “I will not apologize at all, not even a bit. If they are working under pressure from the PM and other ministers, then what I have said is right. The Election Commission exists to strengthen the democracy of the country, not to serve anyone. I stand by what I said,” Jagtap declared.