Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], October 4 (ANI): Former Gujarat Chief Minister Shankersinh Vaghela on Sunday said Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar was not the real issue and asserted that the “real issue” was the Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while calling for the BJP to be replaced through democratic means.
Speaking exclusively with ANI, Vaghela said, “Gyanesh Kumar is not the issue. The real issue lies with the people of the Bharatiya Janata Party; the real issue is the Prime Minister of India—him, and him alone. If there is any accountability involved, it rests with the Prime Minister of the country. Any official who has been associated with the Sangh (RSS) in the past will prioritize loyalty to the Sangh over patriotism.”
“The man who is a pracharak (propagator) of the organization is also the Prime Minister of the country. Whatever he tells the Election Commission, the Home Secretary, or the Reserve Bank, they will do and accept,” he said.
Vaghela questioned whether the focus should be on Gyanesh Kumar when, according to him, the larger issue was the BJP.
“This is not just about Gyanesh Kumar. Are there no other officials or bankers? The issue is the BJP itself, and the need to replace the BJP through democratic means. Even if someone else replaces Gyanesh Kumar, they too will come from the same source,” he said.
He also criticised the manner in which judges were appointed, alleging that ideological considerations influenced appointments. “Look at the judiciary; consider the kind of judges who have been appointed there. Seats are kept vacant until a judge aligned with their specific ideology is available; appointments are made only when an individual linked to the Sangh is ready to take the post. This is the reality,” he alleged.
“Therefore, do not make Gyanesh Kumar, a principal, an army officer, or a doctor the issue. The real root cause lies at the top; that is the primary source,” Vaghela said.
Vaghela said he was not speaking out of fear of the Congress or for his own political interests, but claimed he was raising issues concerning the public. “Look, the fact is… I am not afraid of the Congress. I belong to the Congress, and I know the BJP as well. And regarding politics and my personal circumstances… I am not speaking for myself; I am speaking for the public,” he told ANI.
Vaghela said a change of government in one or two states was necessary and claimed that an alternative government would make it possible to engage with the political leadership.
“The point is that the government in one or two states needs to change. If anyone other than the BJP comes to power, we would be able to reach them. But with the BJP… that is why the BJP has been in power in Gujarat for 30 years. If they are to be removed, it won’t happen on its own. I have tried on my own, and I am still trying,” he said.
“If it happens in alliance with the Congress, that would be a good thing. I have spoken to the leadership; a way forward will be found in the coming days… it is not a major issue,” he added.
Vaghela also defended his remarks on reservation, saying his position had been misunderstood and should be viewed in the “letter and spirit” in which they were made. “I wish to address the people of Gujarat and the nation with humility. There is a concept known as ‘letter and spirit’ (the literal words and the underlying intent),” he said.
He said that on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti and Lal Bahadur Shastri Jayanti, he had spoken about reservation while expressing concern over the condition of tribals, Scheduled Tribes and farmers, whom he said were suffering due to the policies of the BJP government.
Vaghela said he was a “staunch supporter” of reservation for women, OBCs, SCs and STs. “It is my firm belief that the Central Government of India and the BJP government in Gujarat are opposed to reservation. To those who oppose reservation, I asked: do they understand the pain and discrimination these communities have endured?” he said.
“I am not going to fall for this misleading propaganda and political maneuvering orchestrated by the BJP. My stance is absolutely clear, explicit, and straightforward,” Vaghela said.
Vaghela also alleged that the BJP accepts donations from cow slaughterhouses and questioned the party’s campaign messaging around the cow. “A party is a party. As for the BJP, look at the propaganda they churn out… the BJP accepts donations from cow slaughterhouses, money from those who slaughter cows funds their propaganda,” he alleged.
“So, I want to appeal to the voters: you call the cow ‘Mother,’ yet you campaign using money from those who slaughter the ‘Mother.’ You visit them, eat their food, and drink their tea. Even when you hold their campaign leaflets in your hands, they are stained with the blood of the cow,” he said.
He recalled the formation of the Gandhinagar Corporation and said the first board was led by the Congress. “When the Gandhinagar Corporation was first formed, it was a Congress board that took charge. People may come and go in a party, but there is a strong possibility of a Congress victory this time as well,” he said.
Vaghela alleged that BJP members and their families were involved in “hooliganism, misconduct, corruption, and fueling inflation”. “Because BJP members, entire families, are involved in hooliganism, misconduct, corruption, and fueling inflation… the list goes on! All the miscreants and goons, people who deserve to be pelted with stones, are the ones the BJP appoints as ministers and chairpersons,” he alleged.
“So, people perceive it as a party of goons. People don’t go to Gandhinagar specifically to topple the government, but they do go to press that button. Pressing that button allows them to vent the hatred they harbor. To oust the BJP, an alternative…” he said. (ANI)
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