{
  "id": 13449742,
  "title": "BJP discrediting opposition for raising questions over Election Commission: Ashok Gehlot",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/bjp-discrediting-opposition-for-raising-questions-over-election",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-10T15:46:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bjp-discrediting-opposition-for-raising-questions-over-election-commission-ashok-gehlot/article71569089.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot criticized the BJP for attempting to discredit opposition parties by questioning their credibility over the Election Commission. He took issue with BJP National President Nitin Nabin's remarks about dealing strictly with protesters, suggesting that the BJP and RSS were portraying opposition protests as attempts to destabilize the country. Gehlot accused Nabin of acting as the Election Commission's lawyer rather than addressing the opposition's questions about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. He questioned Nabin's use of language against protesters, calling it inappropriate in a democracy and accusing him of being instructed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Gehlot also accused the BJP of organizing street protests while in opposition but now accusing opposition parties of acting at the behest of foreign forces. He pointed out that the government had turned Delhi into a fortress, preventing opposition MPs from marching to the Election Commission and Jantar Mantar. Gehlot accused the BJP and RSS of not believing in democracy and questioned the involvement of all three in the SIR exercise, claiming there were no answers to the opposition's questions about deleted votes. He defended opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing the BJP of questioning his intentions and alleging that he was denied speaking opportunities in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Gehlot accused the government of preventing opposition MPs from marching to the Election Commission and Jantar Mantar and turning Delhi into a fortress. He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of avoiding opposition questions, and suggested that the government was yielding to foreign pressure, referring to US President Donald Trump's statements, tariffs imposed on India, and visa policies.",
  "summary": "Ashok Gehlot alleged that instead of answering questions raised by the opposition over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Nitin Nabin was acting as a lawyer of the Election Commission.",
  "key_points": [
    "Ashok Gehlot criticizes BJP for discrediting opposition over Election Commission.",
    "Nitin Nabin, BJP National President, accused of acting as Election Commission's lawyer.",
    "Gehlot accuses BJP and RSS of not believing in democracy and foreign interference."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Hindu",
        "title": "Former IAS, IFS officers defend Election Commission and SIR in an open letter",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/former-ias-ifs-officers-defend-election-commission-and-sir-in-an-open",
        "published": "2026-10-10T17:20:39.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times",
        "title": "‘System can’t be honest when you win and rigged when you lose’: 124 ex-bureaucrats defend Election Commission, SIR exercise",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/system-cant-be-honest-when-you-win-and-rigged-when-you-lose-124-ex",
        "published": "2026-10-10T17:29:25.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}