NEW DELHI: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday alleged that the ruling BJP is ready to go to any extent of immorality to remain in power and reiterated that several "irregularities" in elections are emerging across the country.
In his Independence Day speech after unfurling the national flag at the Congress headquarters at Akbar Road, he alleged that votes of the opposition are being openly cut in the name of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar electoral rolls, even as those alive are being declared dead.
The Congress chief said the "most surprising" thing was that the BJP has had no objection to votes of 65 lakh people being cut. This clearly shows who benefited from the SIR exercise, he said.
"This is not a fight to win elections but to save India's democracy and protect the Constitution," Kharge said, referring to the Congress' opposition to the SIR exercise. "Now the ruling party is ready to go to any extent of immorality to remain in power. Large-scale irregularities are coming to light in elections," he alleged.
"In the name of Special Intensive Revision, votes of the opposition are being openly cut. Those who are alive have been declared as dead. The impartiality of the Election Commission can be understood from the fact that it is not ready to tell whose votes are being cut and on what basis," he said.
The Congress chief also claimed that central investigation agencies like ED and CBI, and the Income Tax department have been used "so openly for political purposes against the opponents that the Supreme Court of the country has to show them the mirror."
Kharge claimed that India has lost the special place it earned due to its 'non-alignment policy'. "The dream that the heroes of independence saw for this country is going away from us today," he said.