Sanjay Raut slams BJP over voter lists, notice to Arvind Kejriwal

Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Sanjay Raut alleged the BJP-led government is purging voters, citing a notice to Arvind Kejriwal. He also supported Rahul Gandhi's 'andhbhakts' remark. Gandhi accused the BJP-RSS of corrupting India's education system.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday took potshots at the BJP-led government and the Election Commission over the developments related to bypolls in West Bengal and the notice to former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during the SIR exercise in the national capital and said “it was bound to happen”.

Interacting with reporters, he also referred to the Special Intensive Revision of voters list in Maharashtra and alleged that the government is sending a message that only those supporting it will be allowed to vote. "In a system where entire political parties and their party symbols are stolen, if names vanish from the voter list, nobody should be shocked—it was bound to happen. It is not just Kejriwal ji; across Maharashtra and throughout the country, names of thousands, lakhs, and crores of voters go missing. This government wants to send a message: only those whom we favour will be allowed to vote, and those we don't favour will be purged," Raut alleged.

The Delhi Election Commission on Saturday issued notices to former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and his family members as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process of electoral rolls in the national capital. The notices have been issued to Arvind Kejriwal, his wife Sunita Kejriwal, son Pulkit Kejriwal, and parents Gobind Ram Kejriwal and Gita Devi under the category of voters "unmapped with last SIR" in Delhi. According to documents from the Delhi Election Commission, among the 110 voters of Part-51, KG Marg, in the New Delhi Assembly constituency who have been issued notices, the names of Arvind Kejriwal and five members of his family are included.

Raut also supported Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's "andhbhakts" remarks made during the Chhatron ki Goonj programme in Indore and said there is conversation about the issue. "What is there to say? People look for andhbhakts everywhere, and conversations happen about them wherever they are…," Raut said.

Congress accuses BJP-RSS of 'corrupting' education system

He said that mobilisation of students and youth would serve as a catalyst for national political change. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday accused BJP-RSS of “hollowing” and “corrupting” India’s education system and said party leader Rahul Gandhi has exposed the “system that is suppressing students”.

In a post on X, Jairam Ramesh said Rahul Gandhi stands with students in their quest to seek answers from the government and their voice is echoing across the country. "Yesterday, Rahul Gandhi exposed the system that is suppressing students. Who constitutes this system? The people from the BJP and RSS who have taken control of the entire country— over education, the economy, politics, and every institution. They have hollowed out the education system and corrupted it," he alleged.

"This is because the system feels threatened by students; they ask questions and demand accountability. Now that Rahul Gandhi is standing with them, the fear among students has vanished. Their voices are resonating across the entire country," he added.

'Struggle is against the system': Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi addressed students at the 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' programme in Indorewhere Public Service Commission (MPSC) aspirants raised concerns over delays in recruitment. During the interaction, Gandhi said the "struggle is against the system" and claimed that the system operated through "various layers". "The struggle is against the system. What is this system? The system has various layers. At the top level sit six individuals who run it," he alleged.

"The country is captured by a system – layer by layer. Who is this system? A small number of people under the leadership of RSS and “Hum Do, Hamare Do” have together taken control over every institution of India. Be it government, business, education, health, sports, media, judiciary, Election Commission or bureaucracy - in this system what matters is money and access, not skill," Gandhi said in a post on X.

Gandhi said students' voices against "corruption and injustice" posed the biggest challenge to the system. "The voice of the students against this occupation, against corruption and injustice is the biggest challenge to the system," he said.

Gandhi defines 'andhbhakts' as antithesis of students

"That's why the system is threatened by students - because they ask questions, demand accountability. Due to this fear, the system wants blind devotees and not students - it tortures students and promotes blind devotees, so that no questions arise and arbitrariness continues," Gandhi added. During the programme, Gandhi also criticised those he referred to as "andhbhakts", saying they do not question issues and remain in a "delusional world".

"The system feels threatened by students. Why? Because students ask questions. A student asks how Amit Shah’s son became the Chairman of the Cricket Association. A student asks how two individuals managed to capture the entire business landscape of India. A student asks why the judiciary and other institutions fail to do their jobs, or why the Election Commission isn't performing its duties," he said. "That is why the system does not want students; it wants 'Andhbhakts'. An andhbhakt is the antithesis of a student. While a student asks questions and remains curious, an andhbhakt lives in a delusional world of their own. While a student is fearless, an andhbhakt is a coward," Gandhi alleged. (ANI)

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