Gehlot attacks defection politics amid Rajasthan ‘Operation Lotus’ buzz

Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot has accused political parties of treating elected representatives as commodities, alleging that the buying and selling of MPs and MLAs has become commonplace and poses a serious threat to democratic values in the country.

Responding to questions about whether an "Operation Lotus"-style exercise was once again underway in Rajasthan, the senior Congress leader said the growing trend of political defections reflected a broader erosion of democratic principles.

"Today, MPs and MLAs are being bought and sold in the same manner as horses, donkeys, buffaloes and goats are traded," Gehlot said, arguing that elected representatives were increasingly being viewed as assets in a political marketplace rather than as custodians of the public mandate.

He contended that developments in several states pointed to a systematic weakening of democratic institutions. Referring to recent political realignments, Gehlot claimed that large-scale defections had altered the composition of legislatures and parliamentary representation in ways that raised concerns about the health of India's democracy.

According to him, public vigilance is essential to safeguard democratic values. He warned that unless citizens, particularly young people, become more actively engaged in defending constitutional principles, the country's democratic future could face significant challenges.

The former chief minister also linked the issue to the Congress party's ongoing nationwide campaign centred on the protection of the Constitution. Referring to a recent programme in Kota, Gehlot said the event formed part of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's outreach initiative aimed at highlighting issues affecting young people and promoting awareness about constitutional rights.

Among the concerns discussed at the programme was the pressure faced by students due to competitive examinations, including NEET. Gehlot said participants were presented with data relating to revenue collected from students and government expenditure on education.

He argued that growing awareness among young people about education funding and spending patterns was prompting questions about public policy priorities. Describing the disparity between collections and expenditure as worrying, Gehlot said the issue deserved wider public scrutiny.

The remarks come amid continuing political sparring between the Congress and the BJP over allegations of defections, government stability and the functioning of democratic institutions across the country.

With IANS inputs