Congress stalwart Udit Raj voiced sharp concerns on February 20 in New Delhi, accusing the Election Commission of stonewalling digital voter data access amid India’s digital revolution.
Pointing to the Aadhaar system’s success with 1.4 billion enrollments, Raj demanded: ‘Why deprive political parties and citizens of similar voter data?’ He backed Rahul Gandhi’s push for e-voter lists, highlighting persistent issues like duplicate names unchecked by modern tools.
Raj speculated on motives: ‘Are budgets frozen, or is there deliberate sabotage?’ This lapse, he said, erodes trust in electoral fairness.
Addressing communal anxieties, Raj called for dismantling caste hierarchies first. UGC guideline protests, he observed, are driven by caste lobbies, not religious minorities. He countered myths by stating Islam’s growth was non-violent.
A climate of animosity prevails, per Raj, fueled by statements like Kiren Rijiju’s threat to prosecute Rahul Gandhi harshly. This mirrors the vitriol RSS and Hindu Mahasabha directed at Mahatma Gandhi decades ago.
With threats from groups like Karni Sena resurfacing, Raj warned of repeating history. His intervention calls for immediate ECI accountability, digital upgrades, and de-escalation of polarizing narratives to fortify democratic institutions.