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Minister's Response to Allegations

On Saturday, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan dismissed Rahul Gandhi's allegations of election fraud in Maharashtra as a predictable narrative that the Congress party follows after losing elections, portraying itself as a victim of a fabricated system. This rebuttal came after Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, stirred political controversy with an article in a prominent publication, where he accused the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) of orchestrating match-fixing in the Maharashtra election results, claiming similar tactics would be employed in the Bihar elections as well.

Criticism of Gandhi's Statements

Pradhan took to social media to express that Gandhi's remarks regarding the Maharashtra elections were nothing more than a scripted response—losing elections, discrediting institutions, concocting conspiracies, and portraying oneself as a victim of an imaginary system. He emphasized that India's democracy is far more resilient than the insecurities of a dynast who repeatedly refuses to accept electoral outcomes. If there is any fraud that should concern Gandhi, it is the kind his own party has mastered over decades, including the misuse of Article 356 more than 90 times to dismiss opposition governments, from the Emergency period onwards.

Historical Context and Accountability

He reminded everyone that this is the same Rahul Gandhi who falsely claimed in Cambridge that Indian democracy is 'dead,' yet he continues to participate in elections, actively campaigning and blaming electronic voting machines only when he loses. Regarding the Election Commission, it was the Modi government that improved the process by including the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the panel—a practice that was absent during Congress's rule for decades. So, who is truly safeguarding democracy?

Call for Self-Reflection

Pradhan urged Gandhi to engage in self-reflection, stating that match-fixing does not occur when one suffers a significant defeat; it happens when one attempts to tarnish the umpire's reputation because the public refuses to vote for them. In his article, the Congress MP claimed that the NDA employed a five-step blueprint to undermine the democratic process in Maharashtra.

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