From the Urdu Press: ‘EC must address concerns, shun whataboutery’, ‘Buck stops with Govt over infiltration’ | Political Pulse News

The daily says the CEC barely had any response to Rahul’s August 7 presentation when he alleged that over one lakh votes were “stolen” in the Mahadevapura Assembly segment of the Bangalore Central parliamentary constituency in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The edit also made a reference to Rahul’s claim that a 2023 law gave the CEC and ECs “immunity” from any civil or criminal proceedings. “In his press conference the CEC seemed to be bent on giving a clean chit to the poll body and the BJP dispensation, even though he said the EC is an impartial institution for whom both the ruling side and the Opposition are equal,” it states. But merely repeating such claims cannot make the EC shun its responsibility of addressing various concerns regarding the election process, the edit says, adding that despite being a constitutional body the EC’s functioning cannot be beyond scrutiny.

MUNSIF

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 103-minute Independence Day address, his 12th from the ramparts of the Red Fort and the longest by any PM in India’s history, the Hyderabad-based Munsif, in its August 16 editorial, notes that Modi made various promises to the 140 crore people of the country. “PM Modi is a past master in shifting the focus from the current crisis to a promised ‘golden future’. In his 11 previous speeches from the Red Fort, he has made many proposals. It is another matter that people have still been waiting for ‘achhe din’ that he pledged after taking oath for his first term in 2014,” it says. During his Independence Day speech this time, Modi showcased Operation Sindoor with nationalism remaining his dispensation’s key plank despite the Opposition’s allegation against his government of “politicising” military action, the editorial states. It points out that the PM made a pitch for “self-reliance and vocal for local”, but refrained from calling out US President Donald Trump despite his “tariff terror which is likely to deal a blow to Indian economy, especially its export and manufacturing sectors”.

The daily writes that Modi highlighted the “threat” of infiltration or illegal immigration and announced a Demographic Mission to check “demographic change” in the country. “The PM said these infiltrators are snatching away the livelihoods of our youth and are targeting our sisters and daughters. A question arises — if there has been infiltration into the country on such a big scale, who should be held accountable for it? Would it not be the Centre’s failing which is mandated to protect the country’s borders?” the edit says. “It is unfortunate that the infiltration issue is raked up to target a particular community and polarise the polls.”

A significant aspect of the PM’s speech was his announcement of a Diwali bonanza for people in the form of GST reforms and rate cuts, the editorial notes. “The GST regime has been under attack from the outset for being a burden on common people and small businesses. Rahul Gandhi termed it ’Gabbar Singh Tax’, imposed on even essential items. The Modi government’s proposal to rationalise GST taxes might have come late, but the move is welcome as it will give some relief to people.”

URDU TIMES

Highlighting the Opposition INDIA bloc’s move to consider moving an impeachment motion in Parliament against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Urdu Times, in its August 19 editorial, says that an impeachment proposal against any high functionary indicates a crisis, putting a question mark over the latter’s functioning. “At their joint press conference, the Opposition leaders indicated an impeachment move against the CEC after he did not respond to Rahul Gandhi’s ‘vote fraud’ charge besides other allegations related to electoral irregularities,” it notes.

The daily points out that an impeachment motion against Justice Yashwant Varma, from whose Delhi house half-burnt cash was allegedly recovered, had led to then Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s sudden resignation on the opening day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament just hours after he, as the Rajya Sabha Chairman, announced in the House that he has received the Opposition MPs’ notice in this regard. “If the INDIA alliance moves a motion for removal of the CEC, it would be a tragedy in the country’s electoral history. The EC’s identity is defined by its credibility and transparency, which have come under a cloud in the wake of its Bihar SIR exercise,” the editorial says. In Bihar’s draft voter list following the SIR’s first phase, 65 lakh electors have been deleted. The Supreme Court has asked the EC to publish this entire list with reasons, which the poll body has attributed to various factors such as deceased or permanently migrated etc, the edit notes. The EC’s claims have been questioned though, it says, highlighting that Rahul Gandhi had tea with several voters from Bihar at his residence, who had been declared “dead” as per the electoral rolls.