BJP on Tuesday hit out at Rahul Gandhi over the ongoing row around alleged irregularities in the electoral process. Union Minister Piyush Goyal, while speaking at a press conference, listed past incidents when former Election Commissioners and Chief Election Commissioners were pitted as candidates or given Padma Vibhushan.

Goyal called Gandhi's behaviour childish and one undermining every aspect of the Constitution. Stressing that the poll body has been granted autonomy by the ruling NDA government, Goyal said, "The NDA government has granted the EC complete autonomy to function independently in the national and public interest. It has never attempted to offer political benefits to any appointed Election Commissioner... However, if we look at Rahul Gandhi's track record, which he conveniently ignores, we find that the Congress appointed a CEC as a candidate on its party ticket, inducted another into the Union Cabinet, and appointed two Chief Election Commissioners as Governors."

Whom did Goyal name?

Goyal, in his media briefing, cited examples of TN Sheshan, who served as the CEC. He added that Congress used to praise his integrity and fairness but fielded him on a party ticket against Lal Krishna Advani.

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"If he had been administering the electoral system with such integrity as an Election Commissioner, was fielding him as a party candidate in such an important election, against a leader like Advani, not a way of rewarding him?" Goyal asked.

Goyal also mentioned the case of former Election Commissioner Naveen Chawla, against whom then CEC N Gopalaswami had written a 93-page recommendation seeking removal over political bias.

"On one occasion, despite the Chief Election Commissioner's complaint that an Election Commissioner working under him was acting entirely like a Congress agent, the Congress government refused to remove that official. On one occasion, despite the Chief Election Commissioner's complaint that an Election Commissioner working under him was acting entirely like a Congress agent, the Congress government refused to remove that official," Goyal remarked. 

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Piyush Goyal's MS Gill fiasco

Goyal also emphasised that MS Gill, who served as CEC between 1996 and 2000, was conferred the Padma Vibhushan while he was in office in 2000. He asked if it was bribery.

Goyal's claim, however, raises questions as it was the Vajpayee government that had conferred the second-highest civilian award to Gill.