Ex EC Quraishi's comments on Nepal developments irk BJP

New Delhi: The BJP on Tuesday called former chief election commissioner S Y Quraishi's remarks on recent developments in Nepal "reckless", PTI reported.

In an interview with PTI on Sunday, Quraishi had said that recent developments in Nepal were a sign of a "vibrant democracy" and not anarchy, while asserting that governments must be very careful in regulating social media as it has become an integral part of everyone's life.

He also said that India has to take the lead in the SAARC region for hand-holding democracies, "which are still struggling" by providing support to them as an "elder brother" and not as a "big brother".

The saffron party, which rules the Centre and faces charges of rigging elections for long, claimed that Quraishi’s comments were "hardly surprising" because the Indian poll panel had signed an agreement with an organisation linked to US-based billionaire George Soros's Open Society Foundation during his tenure.

BJP IT department head Amit Malviya attacked the former chief election commissioner, calling his remarks "absolutely shocking".

"Former CEC S Y Quraishi calls the recent developments in Nepal a sign of 'vibrant democracy' - not anarchy. But given his record, this reckless comment is hardly surprising," Malviya said in a post on X.

"It was during Quraishi's tenure that the Election Commission of India signed an MoU with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) - an outfit linked to George Soros's Open Society Foundation, a known deep state operator and a close associate of the Congress party and the Gandhis," the BJP leader alleged.

There was no immediate reaction from Quraishi to the BJP leader's charge.