Rahul Gandhi launched a 1,300-km ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar, accusing the BJP and the Election Commission of manipulating votes to influence the upcoming state elections.
On Sunday, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, inaugurated the 1,300-km ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ from Sasaram, Bihar. The event was attended by prominent leaders from the Mahagatbandhan, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav.
During the launch, Gandhi and other Mahagatbandhan leaders alleged that the Election Commission was colluding with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to manipulate voter rolls and “steal” the elections. The Voter Adhikar Yatra, which spans over 21 districts, is a coordinated campaign aimed at highlighting what the coalition describes as “vote chori” amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
At the flag-off rally, Rahul Gandhi asserted that elections across the country were being undermined through deliberate tampering. He claimed, “The BJP is altering names in Bihar’s electoral rolls to fix the Assembly polls. When I exposed this manipulation, I was asked to file an affidavit, but BJP leader Anurag Thakur, who made similar claims, faced no such demand from the poll panel.”
Gandhi further criticized the Election Commission, stating, “They are openly siding with the BJP,” and emphasized that the INDIA bloc would fight to protect the voting rights of the people.
Tejashwi Yadav, also addressing the rally, directed his criticism towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Election Commission. He stated, “Narendra Modi has ruined the lives of Bihar’s youth, and the Election Commission is helping him cheat voters. Do not think of Biharis as weak.” Yadav invoked the ideals of socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia and Babasaheb Ambedkar, asserting that the Constitution guarantees every citizen’s vote is equal, regardless of their wealth.
Yadav also took a jab at the Prime Minister, declaring that outsiders would no longer be able to deceive the people of Bihar, and that they would soon be defeated.
Kharge echoed these sentiments, asserting that the BJP-led government posed a direct threat to the Constitution. “As long as the Modi-led government remains in power, people’s rights are unsafe. Even the vote is not secure, and the Election Commission is behaving like an extension of the ruling party,” he stated.
In Aurangabad, Rahul Gandhi intensified his criticism of the Nitish Kumar-led government, claiming that police had set up barricades to obstruct their access to the public meeting venue. “We didn’t fear and we walked, which made the police step back, allowing us to reach our stage to address you all,” he said.
Lalu Prasad Yadav, known for his witty remarks, criticized the BJP, labeling them as “thieves” intent on damaging democracy. “They are stealing people’s votes and destroying the Constitution. Remove these thieves, unite, and defeat them. Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi must uproot them and save democracy,” he urged in his impassioned speech.
Gandhi also raised the issue of a caste census, accusing the Modi government of making its recent announcement under political pressure. “They will never conduct a genuine caste census nor remove the 50 percent cap on reservations. The INDIA bloc will conduct a real census and bring down this wall of injustice,” he asserted.
The launch of the yatra saw participation from various opposition leaders, including Dipankar Bhattacharya from CPI(ML) Liberation, Subhashini Ali from CPI(M), P Santosh Kumar from CPI, and others such as Pappu Yadav, KC Venugopal, Bhupesh Baghel, and Krishna Allavaru.
As the yatra commenced from Sasaram’s Biada ground, Tejashwi Yadav drove a specially customized jeep carrying Rahul Gandhi. Other alliance leaders joined them as the procession made its way to Dehri on Sone. Both leaders stood on the rooftop of the vehicle to greet the crowd before continuing to Aurangabad for another public meeting.
The Voter Adhikar Yatra is set to traverse Bihar over the next 16 days, with scheduled breaks on August 20, 25, and 31. The campaign will culminate in a major rally at Patna’s historic Gandhi Maidan on September 1, where Rahul Gandhi, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, and Kharge will collectively address the public.
Source: Original article