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Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha and Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, on Monday lashed out at the Modi government, questioning the removal of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) from the selection committee that recommends the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other Election Commissioners, labelling it as a "calculated strategy".
"The rules have been changed. The Election Commissioner used to be chosen by the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Justice. The Chief Justice was removed from that committee. This is a question to the Prime Minister, why was the Chief Justice removed from the committee?" Rahul Gandhi asked in the Parliament. The Congress leader was referring to the exclusion of the CJI from the Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023. Under section 7 of the mentioned Act, the CEC and other election commissioners shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of a selection committee that consists of the Prime Minister, the Lok Sabha LoP and a Union cabinet minister, who has been appointed by the PM. The LoP said that the exclusion of CJI from the selection panel was a calculated move while claiming that the election dates to the Lok Sabha were postponed. Just before Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commissioner was changed and two new Election Commissioners were appointed, Rahul Gandhi added. "Now in a few days, I'm going to go to the meeting. It will be PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and me, 2-1. Why even am I going to the meeting? I am only going there to certify what Modi and Amit Shah are going to say. Whereas if the Chief Justice was there, we could have a discussion. It seems to be a calculated strategy. Just before Lok Sabha, the Election Commissioner was changed and 2 new Election Commissioners were placed. We know that the election dates were changed and postponed. These are facts," Gandhi said. The Congress leader further accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its government of "destroying" the values of renowned personalities, including Babasaheb Ambedkar, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Gautam Buddha. He said that there was no place for hatred, violence or anger in the advancement of the nation, as they remain destructive for the country. "India needs to connect the values of the past. You talk about Sardar Patel but you destroy his values every day. You talk about Ambedkar but you destroy his values every day. You don't talk about Nehru. You bow in front of Buddha but you destroy what he says. You have to be truthful to what you are and it is important that when you are giving a way forward to the nation there is clarity of purpose. There is no hatred, violence or anger because these things are destroying our country. My speech has been very polite, very kind. I thank the Prime Minister for coming and listening to it," Rahul Gandhi said. The budget session of the Parliament commenced on Friday (January 31) with the joint address of President Droupadi Murmu. The first part of the Budget session will continue till February 13 and the two Houses will again meet on March 10 after recess with the session concluding on April 4. (ANI)
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