Election Commission of India must prove its impartiality: Rathore

Theog MLA and former state Congress president Kuldeep Rathore today said the onus to prove its impartiality lies with the Election Commission of India (ECI) so that people could believe that the past elections were conducted in a free and fair manner.

Addressing a press conference here today, Rathore said, “The onus to prove its innocence lies with the ECI. Now, efforts are being made to complicate and hush up the issue which is against democratic norms.” Rathore said the ECI had asked Rahul Gandhi to file an affidavit or tender an apology. “Rahul is an elected MP and being Leader of Opposition he is considered PM in waiting. So, why is the ECI not taking note of his allegations,” he said.

He said after the Maharashtra elections, Rahul Gandhi had alleged irregularities in voter lists. “It is for the first time that we are seeing a new tradition being laid down by the BJP where a government is choosing voters and not vice versa,” said Rathore.

In the last Lok Sabha elections, the BJP fought on the slogan “Abki baar 400 paar”, he said. Had it not been for making of duplicate votes, the BJP would have never formed the government at the Centre, he alleged. He demanded that the import duty on apple must be enhanced from 50 to 100 per cent to protect Himachali apples. — TNS