Rahul Gandhi Slams Election Commission and BJP Over Special Intensive Revision of Bihar's Electoral Roll

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, during the Opposition's "Voter Adhikar Yatra" in Bihar, accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of having a deep-seated partnership, leading to institutionalized vote theft. Gandhi alleged that millions of voters' names have been deleted from the electoral roll, citing examples of living individuals marked deceased. He highlighted the distinct appeal of the campaign, with children and ordinary citizens joining in to raise slogans against vote theft.

Key Takeaways:

  • Rahul Gandhi accused the ECI and BJP of having a partnership that facilitates vote theft in Bihar, alleging that millions of voters' names have been deleted from the electoral roll.
  • Gandhi cited instances of living individuals marked deceased in the voter list, claiming that this is evidence of deliberate suppression and bias by the ECI.
  • The Congress leader expressed confidence in the Opposition unity, stating that all parties are working together, and there is mutual respect and a common goal of stopping vote theft in Bihar.
  • Tejashwi Yadav called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "rumour monger" and "liar" over his 'ghushpethiya' remark, and accused the ECI of operating as a BJP cell that erodes democratic processes.
  • The INDIA bloc leaders, including Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav, CPI(ML) Liberation's Dipankar Bhattacharya, and VIP's Mukesh Sahni, denounced electoral malpractices and vowed to safeguard democracy and the Constitution.
  • Gandhi underscored the main aims of the campaign: to stop vote theft in Bihar and protect the interest of farmers, ensuring they are given the opportunity to lead a debt-free life.

Statistics:

  • Rahul Gandhi claimed that "crores of people in Bihar believe and accept" the vote theft narrative.
  • The "Voter Adhikar Yatra" has spotlighted claims of "vote chori" (vote theft) and seeks to safeguard democracy and the Constitution.
  • Gandhi noted that the yatra has attracted an organic crowd, which he linked to an impending "big change" in Bihar.

Sources:

  • HT Patna (with permission from HT Digital Content Services)