The party’s campaign focuses on allegations of voter list manipulation, including the addition of “bogus voters” and the “deleting of opposition-inclined voters.”
Photo: IANS
The Congress party Saturday announced a massive rally in the capital, titled the ‘Vote Chor Gaddi Chhod Maha Rally’, on December 14 at Ramlila Maidan, as it intensifies its accusations of large-scale electoral manipulation and a “blatantly partisan” Election Commission of India (ECI).
The announcement was made by Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal, who declared that the “spectre of Vote Chori is the biggest danger looming over our democracy today.”
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The party’s campaign focuses on allegations of voter list manipulation, including the addition of “bogus voters” and the “deleting of opposition-inclined voters.”
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The Congress is presenting the rally as a culmination of a nationwide signature campaign against alleged irregularities.
”To send a message across the nation against these attempts to destroy our Constitution, the Congress will be holding the Vote Chor Gaddi Chhod Maha Rally on December 14th (1.30pm onwards) at Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi,” Venugopal stated.
He further alleged that the ECI has abandoned its neutral role, becoming a complicit actor in undermining the democratic process.
”We have received crores of signatures from every corner of India, rejecting the BJP-ECI’s nefarious tactics like adding bogus voters, deleting opposition-inclined voters, and manipulating voter rolls at a mass scale. Not only that, every Indian has seen how the ECI bends rules, ignores MCC violations, and indulges in daylight bribery to help the BJP rig elections,” the General Secretary asserted.
The ‘Vote Chori’ allegation, which translates to ‘vote theft,’ has been a central and escalating point of criticism from the Congress and its senior leaders for several months, often focused on the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The party claims that the ECI, which was historically seen as an impartial umpire, has now become a direct threat to fair elections.
”The ECI, which was once a neutral umpire, is now a blatantly partisan player – completely destroying the very concept of a level playing field in elections,” Venugopal said.
The Congress leader stressed that the party will not be silent and views the upcoming event as a major step in their political resistance.
”We will not remain silent as this attack on the electoral system unfolds in front of our eyes. This Maha Rally is only the beginning of our fight to reclaim Indian democracy from the clutches of the Vote Chors!”
The ruling BJP has consistently dismissed the Congress’s allegations, framing them as baseless rhetoric born out of political frustration. The ECI has previously defended its processes, maintaining that its actions are in line with constitutional mandates for ensuring accurate voter rolls.
The December 14th rally is expected to see the participation of senior Congress leadership and workers from across the country, turning the spotlight firmly onto the functioning and impartiality of the Election Commission ahead of the series of state Assembly elections scheduled in the coming year.
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