Mandi: Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Jairam Thakur accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA alliance of attempting to replace democratic processes with what he described as “mob rule” by spreading an atmosphere of anarchy in the country.
Addressing the ‘Viksit Bharat Yuva Samvad’, organised on the theme ‘Know Your Vote’ at Sardar Patel University in Mandi, Thakur alleged that Rahul Gandhi, having realised that people were not accepting his leadership, was attempting to create instability rather than seeking political power through democratic means.
He also asserted that India’s youth stood firmly behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi and claimed that the BJP-led government would return to power in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
Targeting Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party, Thakur alleged that the Gandhi family’s political legacy had led Rahul Gandhi to consider the Prime Minister’s position as his birthright. He further accused the Congress and the INDIA alliance of attempting to weaken democratic institutions by encouraging unrest.
Referring to developments in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Syria, Thakur cautioned against attempts to create similar situations in India. He claimed that such efforts would not succeed because the country’s youth remained committed to democracy, peace and national development.
Speaking about the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’, the former Chief Minister said that young people had a significant role in achieving the goal of making India a developed nation. He said the country needed to remain strong, peaceful, self-reliant and free from anarchy to achieve this objective. He also appreciated the enthusiasm, patriotism and willingness of young participants to contribute towards nation-building.
Thakur also raised concerns over what he described as a misinformation campaign surrounding allegations of ‘vote theft’. He alleged that certain political groups were misleading people and attempting to create confusion regarding the electoral process.
Explaining the importance of the SIR of electoral rolls, he said the exercise was intended to ensure that ineligible or incorrect names were not included in voter lists and that the names of eligible voters were not removed erroneously.
Emphasising voter awareness, he urged young people to help citizens understand the importance of checking their names and details in electoral rolls. He said initiatives such as ‘Know Your Vote’ could play an important role in strengthening democratic participation and preventing misinformation.
Sharing an experience from his first election, Thakur recalled that an error in the electoral roll had created difficulties for him while filling out his nomination papers, forcing him to enter his name differently. He cited the incident to underline the importance of accurate electoral records.
Referring to a Congress rally organised in Delhi, he claimed that several participants had been misled because they were not aware of the actual facts. He urged the youth to take responsibility for providing correct information and helping people distinguish between facts and political propaganda.
Thakur said that the youth of India, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Attock to Cuttack, were committed to protecting democracy. He expressed confidence that the alleged misinformation campaign by Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA alliance would not succeed and reiterated his prediction that Narendra Modi would continue as Prime Minister after the 2029 general elections.
