Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge criticizes the BJP for alleged voter roll manipulation, emphasizing the need to protect democracy and announcing Rahul Gandhi’s upcoming Voter Adhikar Yatra.
New Delhi: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge recently launched a pointed critique of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of undermining democracy through alleged manipulation of voter rolls. His remarks came during a flag hoisting ceremony at the party’s new headquarters, Indira Bhawan, where he was joined by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and other senior party leaders.
Kharge expressed concern over the Election Commission’s decision to remove the names of 6.5 million voters in Bihar as part of a special intensive revision of voter rolls. He questioned the integrity of this exercise, stating, “The BJP did not have any objection to names of 65 lakh people being omitted from the electoral rolls, and this shows who benefitted from the SIR exercise.”
He emphasized that the struggle is not merely about winning elections but about preserving India’s democracy and upholding the Constitution. “The foundation of Indian democracy is free and fair elections,” Kharge said, referencing Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s assertion that no eligible voter should be excluded from electoral rolls due to prejudice.
During his speech, which was cut short by heavy rain, Kharge took aim at the BJP’s tactics, suggesting that the ruling party would go to any lengths of immorality to maintain its grip on power. He claimed that significant irregularities in elections are surfacing, alleging that the SIR process has led to the wrongful removal of opposition votes and the erroneous declaration of living individuals as deceased.
Kharge further criticized the Election Commission for its lack of transparency, noting that it has not provided explanations for the removal of voter names. He expressed gratitude to the Supreme Court for demanding that the Election Commission disclose the names of those omitted from the rolls.
He referenced a press conference held by Rahul Gandhi on August 7, where evidence of electoral irregularities was presented, highlighting discrepancies in vote counts between the Congress and the BJP in various assembly segments. “This is not just a challenge for Congress; it is a challenge for the world’s largest democracy,” he stated.
Kharge urged party leaders to meticulously analyze and verify the voter rolls at every polling booth, encouraging them to investigate how many names have been removed, declared dead, or shifted to different booths under suspicious circumstances. He also raised concerns about the potential for fraudulent voter registrations and the practice of sending new voter lists on polling day, which he described as a tactic to confuse candidates.
He asserted that these actions represent a conspiracy by the opposition, promising that the Congress party would expose these malpractices. To facilitate this, Kharge announced the establishment of a dedicated website for sharing information about electoral irregularities, inviting citizens from across the country to contribute their experiences.
In closing, Kharge reiterated that the fight is not solely about electoral victory but about safeguarding democracy and the Constitution. He invoked the legacy of prominent leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhash Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, and Maulana Azad, urging party members to honor their dreams and fight for the values they represented.
Additionally, Kharge announced that Rahul Gandhi would embark on a Voter Adhikar Yatra starting August 17, aimed at raising awareness about these issues. “You all have to make it a huge success,” he urged party supporters.
Source: Original article