‘Big ‘kaand’ happening under EC’s nose’: Priyanka Gandhi slams poll body; backs Rahul’s claims of voter fraud | India News
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday hit out at the Election Commission (EC), asking it to investigate Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of large-scale voter fraud.The Congress leader questioned whether the poll body sees its responsibility as being solely towards the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.Speaking to reporters in Parliament, Priyanka accused the EC of ignoring evidence of electoral wrongdoing and instead focusing on procedural demands. “If they feel their responsibility is only to the BJP and only to one party, they need to rethink it,” she said. Priyanka said that those who “colluded in this kind of complete destruction of our democracy” would one day have to answer for it.
Priyanka slams EC over affidavit demand
Priyanka’s remarks came after chief electoral officers of at least three states asked Rahul Gandhi to provide names of electors allegedly added or removed wrongly from voter rolls, along with a signed declaration under the Conduct of Election Rules, to enable action. EC also said Rahul should either submit the list with a formal declaration or “stop misleading” the public with “baseless allegations.”Priyanka questioned the EC’s insistence on an affidavit. “Understand this, the affidavit they are asking for is under a law in which you have to give a petition within 30 days otherwise nothing will happen. So why are they asking for the affidavit? Such a big disclosure has been made. If it is unintentional, then investigate it,” she said.She also accused the EC of failing to provide voter lists in a machine-readable format and of refusing to probe the matter. “Which is a bigger oath than what we take in Parliament? We have taken that oath, we are saying everything in public and are showing the evidence to you,” she said.
Rahul’s claims of voter fraud
Rahul Gandhi has alleged that a Karnataka constituency witnessed “vote chori” of 1,00,250 votes. His breakdown included 11,965 duplicate voters, 40,009 voters with fake or invalid addresses, 10,452 bulk voters registered at a single address, 4,132 voters with invalid photos, and 33,692 voters allegedly misusing Form 6 for new registrations.At a press conference in Delhi, the Opposition leader in Lok Sabha presented what he called evidence of the fraud. “I am a politician, what I say to the people is my word. I am saying it to the people publicly, take it as an oath. Interestingly, they haven’t denied the information,” Rahul said. He added, “They haven’t said the voter lists (shown by me) are wrong, they are saying Rahul Gandhi should say it under oath… they know the truth. We know you (EC) have done this across the country.”In a warning to officials, he said, “It doesn’t matter how senior or junior you are. One day, the opposition is going to come to power and then you see what we do to you.”
EC defends stance, Congress pushes back
The EC has said that Rahul must file his claims in the legally prescribed manner before any action can be taken. Priyanka countered by asking how the EC could dismiss the claims without an inquiry. “The evidence is in front of them and they have to investigate it. How can they say it is wrong unless they investigate it? There can be no matter bigger than this,” she said.Priyanka added that the INDIA bloc would decide collectively on further action. Drawing an analogy, she said, “If you go to a teacher and say cheating is happening, will the teacher slap you or say that it would be checked? Here they are abusing him (Rahul Gandhi) and then say sign an affidavit. If such a big ‘kaand’ is happening under your nose and you are not doing it, then investigate it.”Later, Priyanka stressed that the “entire nation wants” the EC to carry out a proper investigation. Asked if the matter should be discussed in Parliament, she said the government “has no courage” to debate it. “This government has become absolutely weak… it is unable to run the House,” she claimed.“What is the problem in holding a discussion? They should put forward their stand and we will put forward ours,” she said.
