BJP MLA threatens voters with demolitions during Rajasthan local body polls
Bulldozer threats raise serious concerns over free and fair elections
Jaipur: Exposing the dictatorial mindset of the ruling regime in Rajasthan, BJP MLA Harisingh Rawat has threatened voters in his constituency with the demolition of their houses and shops during the urban local body elections in Rajsamand district of the saffron party-ruled state.
According to Kashmir Media Service, a viral video shows the BJP lawmaker openly threatening local citizens that their homes and businesses will be demolished if they do not vote for his political party. The voting process for the second and final round of Rajasthan urban local body elections was conducted on Friday
In the purported video, Harisingh Rawat is also heard telling a group of people that if his candidate did not win, they should not expect development. He further warned those who voted against him that he would “open their records”.
The statement exposes how elected officials can use direct coercion and threats of administrative action to force ordinary voters into political submission. Such threats raise serious concerns about the freedom of voters to exercise their choice without fear or intimidation.
The BJP’s election campaign has, in this instance, been accompanied by threats of administrative action and physical destruction, raising questions about the misuse of political and public power.
Threatening poor families with the demolition of their homes and businesses can put vulnerable citizens in the position of choosing between political loyalty and the security of their livelihoods.
Threatening voters with bulldozers also raises serious concerns about democratic values, the secrecy of the ballot and the rule of law. The use of administrative power to intimidate voters undermines the principles of free and fair elections.
The Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee also shared the video on its social media platforms, drawing attention to the threats made by the BJP lawmaker.
Critics have repeatedly raised concerns over the use of property demolitions as a tool of intimidation and punishment against vulnerable communities and political opponents in BJP-ruled states. Rights groups have documented cases in which homes and businesses were demolished, sometimes amid allegations that authorities bypassed due process and judicial safeguards. Amnesty International has documented over 128 targeted property demolitions in India, leaving more than six hundred citizens homeless.
Such practices have been criticized by rights organizations as a form of collective punishment and a violation of due process.
