New Delhi, December 9: In a blistering attack on the ruling party, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Tuesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of committing the “biggest anti-national act” by engaging in “vote chori” (vote theft) in alleged collusion with the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Speaking during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, the Congress leader alleged that the BJP was systematically working to “damage and destroy the idea of India” by undermining the country’s democratic processes.
Key Allegations and Concerns
Gandhi launched a no-holds-barred offensive, focusing primarily on the integrity of the electoral process and the role of the Election Commission:
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Accusation of ‘Vote Chori’: He reiterated his long-standing claim that a massive-scale “vote chori” had taken place, specifically referencing past elections and citing what he called “concrete evidence” of systemic voter fraud.
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ECI Collusion: Gandhi directly accused the ECI of allowing the ruling party to “shape the elections” and failing to uphold its constitutional duty as an impartial umpire. He alleged the Commission was “colluding with the BJP” to steal elections.
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Constitutional Changes: He questioned recent legal amendments concerning the appointment of Election Commissioners, suggesting they were designed to ensure the ECI’s compliance with the ruling establishment.
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Demand for Data and Footage: The Leader of Opposition demanded that the ECI immediately release electronic voter data from the last 10 to 15 years and share all relevant CCTV footage. He stated, “If the Election Commission now does not give us electronic voter data… and if it does not share the CCTV footage, they are partaking in the crime.”
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Anti-National Act: Gandhi equated the alleged rigging and subversion of the democratic process with the most severe crime against the nation, asserting, “There is no bigger anti-national act than vote chori.”
Undermining Institutions
The Congress leader extended his critique beyond the ECI, alleging that the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were systematically seeking to dominate and control India’s key institutions to dismantle democracy.
“The BJP is directly influencing and using the Election Commission to damage India’s democracy,” he stated, adding that the refusal to share the voter list was a “red flag” because the voter list is the “property of this country,” not a secret document.
Call to Action
Concluding his address, Gandhi called upon both the political class and the judiciary to take urgent notice of what he described as a severe erosion of democratic norms. He affirmed that the Congress party would intensify its “Vote Chori” campaign across the country to bring the alleged electoral malpractice to the public eye.
