Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Sept 3: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has criticized the ‘One Nation, One Election’ campaign. Rahul has called it an attack on the Indian Union and all the states included in it. The Modi government on Friday announced the formation of (One Nation One Election) Committee for the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections. Since then, the opposition has been consistently raising objections.
Rahul Gandhi said on Sunday that the idea of ‘One Nation, One Election’ is an attack on the Indian Union and all its states. The Congress leader said in his post on X (formerly Twitter), “INDIA, that is Bharat, is a Union of States. The idea of ‘one nation, one election’ is an attack on the Union and all its States.” Gandhi’s statement came after the government constituted a high-level committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind on the possibility of holding simultaneous elections.
INDIA, that is Bharat, is a Union of States.
The idea of ‘one nation, one election’ is an attack on the 🇮🇳 Union and all its States.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 3, 2023
The Congress said the timing of the high-level committee on ‘One Nation, One Election’ is highly questionable and its terms of reference have already determined its recommendations. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh in his post on X (formerly Twitter) said, “The High-level Committee on One Nation, One Election is a ceremonial exercise, the timing of which is highly suspect. Its terms of reference have already determined its recommendations”.
The High-level Committee on what is called “One Nation One Election” is a ritualistic exercise, the timing of which is highly suspect. Its terms of reference have already determined its recommendations. The composition of the Committee is also a total give-away and the Leader of… pic.twitter.com/9JvtalFRBC
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) September 3, 2023
A committee has been formed under the chairmanship of former President Ramnath Kovind to explore the possibility of ‘One Nation, One Election’. Apart from Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress Lok Sabha member Adhir Ranjan Choudhary, former leader of the opposition of Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, former 15th Finance Commission Chairman NK Singh, former Lok Sabha General Secretary Subhash Kashyap have been included in the committee. However, Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary has refused to join the committee.
The names of senior advocate Harish Salve and former Chief Vigilance Commissioner Sanjay Kothari are also in the committee whereas Minister of State for Law Arjun Ram Meghwal will be a special invitee. According to reports, this committee will recommend holding elections to the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, municipalities and panchayats simultaneously, keeping in mind the existing framework under the Constitution and other statutory provisions.
