Rahul escalates 'vote chori' charge, calls EC a 'watchman shielding thieves'
The Congress leader alleges illegal voter deletions in Karnataka and Maharashtra, and accused CEC Gyanesh Kumar of protecting 'vote thieves' by withholding evidence
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday (September 19) renewed his "vote chori" charge, attacking the Election Commission and branding it 'chunav ka chowkidar' (election watchman) that "stayed awake, watched the theft, and shielded the thieves."
His remarks came a day after he escalated his offensive, accusing Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of safeguarding those who had "destroyed democracy."
Also Read: Rahul alleges massive voter deletion scam. Is it possible? Expert explains
'Vote chori' row escalates
“Wake up at 4 am, delete two voters in 36 seconds, then go back to sleep – that’s how vote theft happened! The watchdog of elections stayed awake, kept watching the theft, and kept protecting the thieves,” Rahul posted on X, sharing a clip from his Thursday (September 18) press briefing.
Rahul continued his tirade against the Election Commission on Friday over alleged illegal deletion of voters.
He also shared a 36-second video from his press conference in which he explains the modus operandi of the alleged "vote theft".
Also Read: Aland constituency in focus as Rahul slams EC over voter deletion attempts
Direct attack on CEC
On Thursday evening (September 18), Rahul Gandhi had said, “The nation’s youth, its students, its Gen Z, will defend the Constitution, protect democracy, and stop vote theft. I always stand with them. Jai Hind!”
Rahul Gandhi further insisted the Election Commission must stop shielding “vote chors” and provide within a week the information sought by the Karnataka CID probing voter deletions.
Failure to do so, he warned, would confirm the poll body’s complicity in the “murder of the Constitution.” He made these remarks during a press conference at the Congress’ Indira Bhawan headquarters.
"Our demand is Gyanesh Kumar, do your job... You have taken an oath, you are India's chief election commissioner, you must give evidence to the Karnataka CID," Rahul had said, directly taking on the CEC.
Also Read: All info with ECI already shared with police: Karnataka CEO on Rahul's allegations
EC refutes charges
To support his charges, Rahul cited data from Karnataka’s Aland Assembly constituency, alleging that over 6,000 names of Congress supporters were targeted for deletion ahead of the 2023 polls.
He also pointed to Maharashtra’s Rajura constituency, where he claimed 6,850 voters were fraudulently added through automated software.
"Same system is doing this. It is doing it in Karnataka, Maharashtra, it has done it in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and we have proof of it," the Congress leader had alleged.
The Election Commission, however, dismissed Rahul’s allegations, asserting that no voter could be deleted online by the public. “No deletion can take place without giving the affected person an opportunity to be heard,” the poll body clarified.