“Rahul Gandhi is ‘hawa-hawai’ leader”: Anurag Thakur slams LoP over INDIA bloc march to Supreme Court

Thakur's remarks came in response to the opposition INDIA bloc's march towards the Supreme Court and its move to seek judicial intervention over alleged irregularities in the electoral process.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Anurag Thakur on Monday launched a scathing attack on Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, calling him a "hawa-hawai" leader and accusing him of making empty statements, levelling baseless allegations and creating "unnecessary ruckus" across the country. Thakur's remarks came in response to the opposition INDIA bloc's march towards the Supreme Court and its move to seek judicial intervention over alleged irregularities in the electoral process.

Addressing a press conference here, the BJP leader accused Rahul Gandhi of speaking without facts and habitual deflection following electoral defeats. Addressing a press conference in the national capital, the BJP leader accused Rahul Gandhi of making allegations without facts and repeatedly blaming constitutional institutions following electoral defeats

"Rahul Gandhi is the Leader of Opposition, but he doesn't know the real facts. His nature is to create unnecessary ruckus in the nation. Rahul Gandhi is a 'hawa-hawai' leader—everything is zero, just empty talk," Thakur said. Taking a swipe at Gandhi over the Congress party's electoral performance, the former Union Minister said, "After losing 99 elections, it has become his habit to blame the Election Commission and the government. Now he is even using street-level language."

In a fresh attack on the Congress leader, Thakur alleged that Gandhi repeatedly targeted different institutions and raised allegations only to later apologise in court. "He repeatedly levels allegations only to later apologise in court; that is his track record. The dust was on his own face, yet he kept wiping the mirror—right up until losing 99 elections. Every season, Rahul Gandhi looks for someone to blame or a scapegoat to target, sometimes the Election Commission, sometimes EVMs, sometimes the Chief Election Commissioner, and sometimes something else. And now, the situation has reached a point where Rahul Gandhi resorts to street-level language and levels baseless allegations...," Thakur added.

Thakur's remarks came amid escalating political tensions in the national capital, with opposition parties under the INDIA bloc intensifying their campaign against the Election Commission and seeking action over alleged bias and irregularities in the electoral process. Earlier in the day, central Delhi witnessed heightened security arrangements, with barricades and heavy police deployment as political workers and opposition leaders marched under the INDIA bloc banner towards the Supreme Court, seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

Led by leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Akhilesh Yadav, the 'March for Democracy' brought key stretches of the capital, including Barakhamba Road and Mandi House, to a standstill. Protesters waved national flags, held placards and raised slogans alleging irregularities in the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. During the march, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge questioned the functioning of the poll body and sought answers regarding the use of forms associated with the electoral registration process.

"We are asking very valid questions. Who authorised Form 6? Whose bulk-printed, pre-printed Form 7?... Where is Gyanesh Kumar hiding? When a constitutional body head is missing, we need to ask questions," he told ANI. Punjab Congress President Pargat Singh accused the BJP of dismantling the democratic framework and attempting to protect the CEC.

"Look at the BJP's politics—what is it? It is about dismantling the entire democratic framework. They have already wreaked havoc on it. Two Election Commissioners had already conveyed that 14 decisions were taken without their consent and that the amendment to 'Form 6' was executed in a completely flawed manner—a fact the Supreme Court also clarified by stating there was no directive from them to do so. Yet, despite this, they want to protect Gyanesh Kumar and completely destroy the country's democracy. What does Rahul Gandhi say? He says we must save our institutions and the country's democratic structure. But the tragedy is that they have no intention of moving in that direction," he told ANI. The INDIA bloc contingent included former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, and leaders of the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM). (ANI)