'They are stealing votes in front of everyone': Rahul Gandhi hits back at Election Commission

In a strong rebuttal to the Election Commission's (EC) response to his allegations, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has escalated his criticism of the EC's handling of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. Gandhi, who recently launched his 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' to address issues related to voter list discrepancies, accused the EC of facilitating "vote theft" and corruption, particularly targeting the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

During a public address in Aurangabad, Bihar, Gandhi emphasised that the EC’s demand for an affidavit from him in response to his allegations was biased. "The Election Commission asks for an affidavit from me, but when Anurag Thakur says the same thing I am saying, it does not ask for an affidavit from him," Gandhi remarked. He pointed out what he termed as inconsistencies in the EC's actions, alleging that the Commission was selectively scrutinising his statements while letting others, including BJP leaders, off the hook.

Taking his allegations further, Gandhi highlighted instances of



alleged voter deletions, claiming that the EC had removed the names of 65 lakh voters in Bihar. "The EC and the BJP are stealing votes in front of everyone. It’s no longer a secret; they are doing it openly. They have deleted the names of 65 lakh people in Bihar to benefit Adani and Ambani, and to silence the voices of the poor," Gandhi charged.

He also criticised the EC's refusal to explain the voter list discrepancies, claiming that this was part of a larger scheme to deny electoral fairness to the people of Bihar. "The last thing left in the hands of the poor is their vote. They are trying to take that away too," Gandhi asserted.

In an attempt to bolster his case, Gandhi recalled his controversial video, where he claimed to have shared tea with the deceased. "The Election Commission has killed people who are alive. Their names were deleted from the voter list. I asked why, and they said it was an 'order from above'—an order from Modi and the Election Commission. It’s part of their plan to systematically disenfranchise the people," he added.