Rahul Gandhi accuses Centre and Election Commission of enabling ‘vote theft’, sharing a video alleging voter fraud, as Congress escalates nationwide protests over electoral integrity and constitutional principles….reports Asian Lite News
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday sharpened his criticism of the Centre and the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging that voter list manipulation and fraudulent voting amount to not just the theft of ballots, but also the theft of citizens’ rights and identities.
Posting a fictional video on X, the Congress MP depicted a scenario in which two men—purportedly associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)—collude with polling officials to cast votes in the names of legitimate voters. In the clip, the men are seen leaving a polling booth after casting fraudulent ballots, one remarking: “This is such a good arrangement, victory is assured now.”
Moments later, the real voter—introduced as 50-year-old Garib Das—arrives with his voter ID card, only to be told his vote has already been cast. His wife faces the same rejection, being informed that her vote too has been taken by someone else. The couple leaves without exercising their right to vote.
The video further portrays the two alleged BJP workers in discussion with the Booth Level Officer (BLO), with the Election Commission mockingly referred to as the “Election chori aayog” (Election Theft Commission).
Rahul Gandhi has used the video to underline what he describes as systemic electoral malpractice, targeting both the ruling party and the ECI. He reiterated his claim that manipulating voter rolls undermines the very foundation of democracy.
Congress Ramps Up Campaign
The post comes on the heels of a high-level strategy meeting chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on August 12. The meeting, attended by party general secretaries, state in-charges, and leaders of frontal organisations, focused on launching a nationwide campaign against alleged voter list manipulation. Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Sachin Pilot, KC Venugopal, and Kumari Selja were among the senior figures present.
On Tuesday, the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress, staged a protest march from its Delhi headquarters to Jantar Mantar, accusing the ECI of failing to safeguard electoral integrity. The demonstration was sparked by Rahul Gandhi’s repeated allegations of “vote chori” (vote theft).
The Indian Youth Congress also organised a ‘Halla Bol March’ in the national capital, which ended with several activists being detained by Delhi Police.
“One Man, One Vote” Principle Under Threat’
Rahul Gandhi has consistently argued that the ECI has failed to uphold the principle of “One Man, One Vote,” which he calls the bedrock of the Constitution.
“We are protecting the Constitution. One Man One Vote is the foundation of the Constitution. It is the duty of the Election Commission to enforce One Man, One Vote, but they have not done their duty. We are protecting the Constitution, and we will keep doing it,” he said.
On Monday, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and other INDIA bloc MPs were detained during a march from Parliament to the ECI headquarters. The protest was part of a broader campaign against alleged electoral irregularities in Bihar, which Congress leaders claim are indicative of a wider national problem.
By linking his political messaging to visual narratives such as the video posted on X, Rahul Gandhi is seeking to frame alleged voter fraud as not merely a political issue but a constitutional one—arguing that electoral integrity is inseparable from citizens’ rights and the health of Indian democracy.
With the Opposition signalling plans for sustained street and social media campaigns, and the ECI yet to issue a detailed public response to these specific allegations, the battle over “vote theft” appears set to intensify in the months ahead.
