Rahul Gandhi alleges massive voter fraud, says 6,000 names deleted in Karnataka rolls!
Gandhi further claimed similar "mass deletions" have occurred in Maharashtra, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, framing the issue as an "atom bomb on our democracy."
NEW DELHI- In a fiery press briefing that has electrified political circles, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi unleashed a barrage of accusations against the Election Commission of India (ECI), claiming to have irrefutable proof of large-scale “vote chori” (vote theft) orchestrated through digital manipulation.
Addressing a packed audience at the Indira Bhawan Auditorium here today morning, Gandhi described the revelations would expose systemic fraud targeting opposition voters, particularly from Dalit, Tribal, minority, and OBC communities.
The event, billed as a “special press briefing” by Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, drew hundreds of journalists and quickly amassed over a million views on the party’s official YouTube channels within the first hour.
Gandhi, flanked by party leaders, presented what he called “100% proof” from Karnataka’s Aland assembly constituency, where 6,018 voter names were allegedly deleted en masse from electoral rolls.
He recounted how a booth-level officer discovered the anomaly by chance—her own uncle’s name had been removed—highlighting what he termed a “software-driven factory” for rigging elections.
“This is not random; it’s targeted theft on booths where Congress was winning,” Gandhi asserted, displaying documents and data from the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
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He escalated his attack on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging the ECI has ignored 18 letters from Karnataka’s CID over 18 months seeking critical details like IP addresses, OTP trails, and device ports for fake deletion applications.
“Gyanesh Kumar ji, do your duty—you’ve taken an oath,” Gandhi urged, accusing the poll body of “protecting murderers of democracy” by withholding information that could trace the operation’s origins.
Gandhi further claimed similar “mass deletions” have occurred in Maharashtra, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, framing the issue as an “atom bomb on our democracy.” He vowed this was just the beginning, promising more explosive evidence soon. “I’m not here to participate in democracy; my job is to save it,” he declared, drawing applause from supporters.
The Congress has positioned this as a milestone in exposing electoral malpractices, with MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra later telling reporters it was an “organized effort” involving the ECI.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar echoed the sentiment, noting a rare parliamentary walkout by 300 non-BJP MPs last week as a sign of growing cross-party concern.
BJP Reaction
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wasted no time in dismissing Gandhi’s claims as a desperate ploy from a “habitually false” leader. BJP MP Anurag Thakur, speaking to media shortly after, mocked the allegations: “Under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, Congress has lost 90 elections—their frustration is boiling over.” He referenced a 2023 incident in Aland where unsuccessful deletion attempts led to an ECI-directed FIR, questioning why Karnataka’s Congress-ruled CID had done nothing despite receiving mobile numbers and IP details from the poll body. “Did Congress win by stealing votes there?” Thakur quipped, accusing Gandhi of undermining institutions with “toolkit help” and attempting to incite unrest akin to Bangladesh and Nepal.
ECI Reaction
The ECI, in a terse post on X (formerly Twitter), labeled the charges “incorrect and baseless.” It clarified that no voter deletions can occur online by the public without an opportunity for the affected person to be heard, and reiterated the 2023 Aland probe. Former CEC S.Y. Quraishi, however, urged an independent inquiry, criticizing the ECI’s tone toward Gandhi as “objectionable and offensive.”
Broader Implications Amid Bihar Polls
The press conference comes days after Gandhi’s “Voter Adhikar Yatra” concluded on September 1, where he first teased the “hydrogen bomb.” With Bihar assembly elections looming in late 2025, the timing has amplified its impact, potentially galvanizing opposition alliances.
Critics, including BJP voices, warn it could erode public trust in electoral processes, while supporters hail it as a bold stand against authoritarianism. As the dust settles, the onus is on the ECI to respond substantively—perhaps with its own presser—or risk fueling the fire Gandhi has lit.
For now, the “vote chori” row shows no signs of abating, with social media ablaze and political tempers flaring. Congress has called for immediate investigations, while the BJP demands Gandhi substantiate his claims in court rather than “grandstanding.”
