‘Failure, frustration, impotent rage’: Over 272 eminent citizens slam Rahul’s attack on EC

About 272 eminent citizens of the country, including retired judges, bureaucrats, former army officers, and diplomats, have slammed the Congress party and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, for the serious allegations against the Election Commission under the ‘vote chori’ campaign. They have put out an open letter saying the allegations are an “attempt to drape political frustration in the garb of institutional crisis”. The letter, titled “Assault on National Constitutional Authorities,” said that opposition leaders were attempting to manufacture a sense of institutional breakdown through what it described as “venomous rhetoric” and “provocative but unsubstantiated accusations.” The 272 signatories to the letter include 16 retired judges, 123 former bureaucrats, 133 retired Army officers, and 14 former ambassadors.

“We, the senior citizens of civil society, express our grave concern that India’s democracy is under assault, not by force, but by a rising tide of venomous rhetoric directed toward its foundational institutions. Some political leaders, instead of offering genuine policy alternatives, resort to provocative but unsubstantiated accusations in their theatrical political strategy.”

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“After their attempts to tarnish the Indian Armed Forces by questioning their valour and accomplishments, and the Judiciary by questioning its fairness, Parliament, and its constitutional functionaries, now it is the turn of the Election Commission of India to face systematic and conspiratorial attacks on its integrity and reputation,” the letter says.

The letter says that Rahul has repeatedly attacked the EC and declared that he has proof that it is involved in vote theft. It describes Rahul’s “atom bomb” remarks as “unbelievably uncouth rhetoric”. “Yet, despite such scathing accusations, there has been no formal complaint filed by him, along with the prescribed sworn affidavit, to escape his accountability for levelling unsubstantiated allegations and threatening public servants in performance of their duty,” it says.

“Moreover, several senior figures of Congress and other political parties, leftist NGOs, ideologically opinionated scholars, and a few attention seekers in other walks of life have joined in with similarly blistering rhetoric against SIR, even declaring that the Commission has descended into complete shamelessness by acting like the ‘B-team of the BJP’. These accusations are an attempt to drape political frustration in the garb of institutional crisis,” the statement says.

The letter says the Congress leader’s behaviour reflects what might be called “impotent rage—deep anger born of repeated electoral failure and frustration, without a concrete plan to reconnect with the people.

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“When political leaders lose touch with the aspirations of ordinary citizens, they lash out at institutions instead of rebuilding their credibility. Theatrics replace analysis. Public spectacle takes the place of public service. The irony is stark: when electoral outcomes are favourable in certain States where opposition-driven political parties form governments, criticism of the Election Commission disappears. When they are unfavourable in certain states, the Commission becomes the villain in every narrative. This selective outrage exposes opportunism, not conviction. It is a convenient deflection: to give the impression that loss is not a result of strategy, but conspiracy,” it says.

The letter refers to former Chief Election Commissioners TN Seshan and N Gopalaswami and says their unyielding leadership transformed the Election Commission into a formidable constitutional sentinel.

“They did not court popularity. They did not chase headlines. They enforced the rules - fearlessly, impartially, relentlessly. Under them, the Commission gained moral and institutional teeth. It became a guardian, not a bystander... Now is the time for civil society and the citizens of India to stand firmly with the Election Commission, not out of flattery, but out of conviction,” the signatories say.

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The letter further says that countries across the world have adopted a firm stance on illegal immigration. “If other nations guard the electoral integrity of their states so resolutely, India must be equally proactive. The sanctity of our electoral rolls is not a partisan issue - it is a national imperative,” it says.