PIB debunks claims of Home Ministry reaching out to Rahul, Priyanka to end protest

Earlier in the day, Gandhi led around 300 Opposition MPs from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, including members of the BJD, in a march from Parliament to Nirvachan Sadan, a distance of about one kilometre.

The Press Information Bureau (PIB) on Tuesday issued a Fact Check declaring misleading social media posts claiming that officials of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had reached out to Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and MP Priyanka Gandhi in an attempt to end the impasse outside Nirvachan Sadan.

“Do not fall for misleading claims or unverified information. Rely only on verified sources”, the PIB said. The agency is the Central government’s nodal information dissemination body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

PIB flags social media posts

The Fact Check was accompanied by screenshots of social media posts by a “journalist” and the website of a news channel.

The claims surfaced on social media amid a dramatic protest by Opposition MPs near the Election Commission of India (ECI) office and a failed attempt by lawmakers led by Rahul Gandhi to enter Nirvachan Sadan to meet Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Earlier in the day, Gandhi led around 300 Opposition MPs from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, including members of the BJD, in a march from Parliament to Nirvachan Sadan, a distance of about one kilometre.

“We wanted to meet the CEC and the Election Commissioners, but we were stopped and prevented from going there”, Gandhi told reporters about 50 yards from the Commission’s office.

Opposition MPs stage dharna

After security personnel stopped the march towards Nirvachan Sadan, Rahul Gandhi, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi and other leaders sat on a dharna inside Akashvani Bhavan, close to the ECI office.

The protest in the high-security zone drew criticism from BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, who questioned whether the Opposition parties were attempting to create “anarchy”.

Speaking to IANS, Prasad said, “Sitting in Delhi, they have surrounded a sensitive area here, and they are saying that (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar is under the clutches of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and (Home Minister) Amit Shah. This is shameful. I condemn this”.

Prasad attacks Congress’ election demands

Prasad also criticised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over his reported demand that elections be cancelled and held again using ballot papers.

“He had said that all elections should be cancelled and elections should be held again through ballot papers. This is their intention, and this is what they want. They cannot win in honest elections. Now, they want to capture the booths. They want to win elections under pressure. They want to stop Dalits and the poor from casting their votes. Congress has been winning like this, whether it was in Bihar, West Bengal or any other state”, he said.

(with IANS inputs)

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