Bhai Jagtap labels EC as 'dog' sitting outside PM Modi's bungalow, BJP slams Congress leader's insult (WATCH)

First Published Nov 30, 2024, 11:10 AM IST | Last Updated Nov 30, 2024, 11:10 AM IST

Senior Congress leader Bhai Jagtap has sparked controversy with his remarks against the Election Commission of India (ECI), describing it as a "dog sitting outside the bungalow of Prime Minister Narendra Modi." The Congress Deputy Leader in the Maharashtra Legislative Council and former Mumbai Congress President made these comments on Friday, criticizing the Election Commission's conduct during the recent Maharashtra Assembly elections.

Jagtap accused the poll body of being misused by the ruling government, likening its role to a dog serving at the command of Prime Minister Modi.

"(Election Commission toh Kutta hai) The Election Commission is like a dog, acting as a dog, sitting outside Narendra Modi ji's bungalow. All the agencies that were created to strengthen our democracy have now become puppets, acting under the influence of Narendra Modi ji," Jagtap said.

"These agencies, which were meant to safeguard our democracy, are unfortunately being misused. The ongoing incidents in Maharashtra and across the country show how the system is being manipulated," he added.

He further claimed that the people in Maharashtra were "totally against the ruling Maha Yuti regime," but the credit for the election outcome went to the tampering of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). “Yes, EVMs were tampered,” he asserted, fueling opposition allegations of foul play in the electoral process.

Such kind of insult can't be tolerated: BJP

In response, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned Jagtap's comments, calling them deeply disrespectful to a constitutional body. BJP leader Kirit Somaiya filed a formal complaint against Jagtap, emphasizing that the insult to the Election Commission cannot be tolerated.

"I have written to the Election Commission and also filed a complaint with Mumbai Police Commissioner. Such kind of insult, the humiliation of the Election Commission which is a constitutional body can't be tolerated," Somaiya said.

"Action should be initiated against Bhai Jagtap. In the last two days, Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) everybody has been targeting EVM and Election Commission because everyone is scared of the local body Mumbai Municipal Corporation election which is due in March 2025," he added.

Jagtap's remarks come amidst a broader campaign by opposition leaders in Maharashtra, including Congress state chief Nana Patole, who has raised concerns about the conduct of the recent elections. Patole questioned the sudden increase in voter turnout by 7.83 percentage points after the official polling time had ended. In a letter to the Election Commission, he demanded an explanation for the spike in votes and highlighted the "intense" public sentiment, alleging that there was a "scam" in the election results.

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