'Is EC only right when Congress wins?' Ravi Shankar Prasad attacks Rahul Gandhi
Patna (PTI): Hitting out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Sunday claimed they were "shamelessly" spreading lies and making baseless allegations against the Election Commission.
Addressing a press conference in Patna, the senior BJP leader alleged Gandhi was trying to "mislead" the people with these allegations.
"Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav are consistently attacking constitutional institutions. The kind of language they are using against the prime minister is unacceptable. They are shamelessly spreading lies and making baseless allegations," he alleged.
"In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Samajwadi Party won 37 seats in UP, the BJP won 33, and the Congress bagged six seats. It was the same Election Commission then. If people vote for them, the EC is fine, but if they lose, it is bad. How can this logic work?" he asked.
Pointing to Maharashtra, where the Congress won 13 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP and Shiv Sena nine each, and the NCP eight, Prasad asked, "Wasn't the same EC there too?"
Noting that the Congress won assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh and Telangana, he said, "Is the EC only right when Congress wins?"
Prasad asked what the BJP can do if the people do not vote for the Congress.
"In Haryana, Delhi, and Maharashtra assembly elections, the BJP won because the people saw through Rahul Gandhi's lies," he claimed.
"Earlier it was 'chowkidar chor hai', today it's the EC. Rahul Gandhi has targeted everyone -- from the EC and the press to the prime minister. But he must understand, he cannot say anything he wants and expect the country to simply tolerate it," Prasad said.
He said the kind of language Yadav was using for the PM was unacceptable.
"The people of this country have elected Narendra Modi as the prime minister three times. He must apologise for calling the PM a liar. Tejashwi Yadav should be careful not to adopt Rahul Gandhi's ways under his influence," he said.
Prasad said the EC has already clarified that over 98 per cent of voters in Bihar submitted documents during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
"Out of 7.24 crore voters, only 0.16 per cent objections have been recorded. There are 3.28 lakh new applicants who have just turned or are about to turn 18. The deadline is September 1, so there is still time," he said.
"Rahul Gandhi's mindset is simple -- 'whatever I say is right, everything else is wrong'. This comes from a deep desire that Congress must rule India with Rahul Gandhi as the prime minister, and RJD must rule Bihar with Tejashwi Yadav as the chief minister. This is nothing but lust for power. The people will never hand power to them," he said.
Prasad said people must ask whether such leaders can handle responsibility, asserting that the NDA has won in the past and will continue to do so.
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Delhi Police on high alert ahead of Lionel Messi's Delhi visit
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Police has beefed up security in the central parts of the national capital and set up traffic restrictions as global football icon Lionel Messi sets foot in the city, the final stop of his GOAT tour of India.
The Argentine legend is scheduled to attend an event at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday between 1 pm and 4 pm. He kicked off the tour in Kolkata, which turned chaotic. However, the 2022 World Cup champion's Hyderabad and Mumbai visit went on smoothly.
With Delhi ready to welcome Messi, police are maintaining heightened vigil, especially in view of the recent fiasco in Kolkata, where chaos erupted at the Salt Lake Stadium after thousands of fans protested over failing to get a clear glimpse of the icon.
Delhi Police said an elaborate and multi-layered security bandobast has been put in place for Messi's visit. A senior police officer said comprehensive arrangements have been made with a strong focus on crowd management, access control and traffic regulation.
According to police, multiple security rings have been established around the venue, with deployment of additional police personnel along with paramilitary forces to maintain law and order. Entry to the stadium and designated areas is being strictly regulated, and no one is being permitted without a valid pass.
"Anti-sabotage checks, frisking points and surveillance through CCTV cameras form a key part of the security plan," the officer said.
The officer added that quick reaction teams, senior supervisory officers and emergency response units are on standby throughout the event, with public safety being the top priority.
On the traffic front, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Nishant Gupta said they have identified three main parking areas for labelled vehicles, including P1 near Vikram Nagar. Vehicles without labels are required to be parked at the Rajghat Powerhouse parking lot and Mata Sundari Lane, from where pedestrians can walk to the stadium.
App-based taxi users have been advised to alight vehicles at Rajghat Chowk and walk. Parking has been strictly prohibited around the Arun Jaitley Stadium, and vehicles found parked there will be towed and fined, the officer said.
The public has been encouraged to use the metro and buses as far as possible to reduce congestion and ensure smooth movement.
Public movement is expected to pick up around 11 am. Commuters have been advised to avoid Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, ITO, Delhi Gate, Netaji Subhash Marg and Brijmohan Chowk from 10 am till the event concludes.
