Bhopal, Aug 13 (PTI) The Congress will launch rallies in Madhya Pradesh to alert people about “vote chori” and “rigging” of voters’ lists, party leaders said on Wednesday.
The opposition party also announced to organise torch processions to ‘save democracy’ on the night of August 14. Rallies will be taken out at all district headquarters beginning August 22.
Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, last week cited data to allege that more than one lakh votes were ‘stolen’ in the Mahadevpura assembly constituency of Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha in the 2024 elections, resulting in the defeat of a Congress candidate.
The Election Commission had directed Gandhi to give a written declaration on his claims.
“We will take the campaign against vote theft to every booth and house across Madhya Pradesh and make people aware about vote theft,” state Congress in-charge Harish Chaudhary told reporters.
He said “vote theft” is not only a violation of the law, but also an attack on democracy and the Constitution.
Leader of Opposition in Madhya Pradesh Assembly, Umang Singhar, said the torch processions will be taken out on the night of August 14. ‘Vote Chor-Gaddi Chhod’ rallies will be organised from August 22 to September 7.
Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha said the people of the country want to know whether the Election Commission stands with the Constitution and democracy or favours a political party.
“The work of the Election Commission is to ensure public convenience, not to create difficulties for the citizens,” he said.
State Congress president Jeetu Patwari said Rahul Gandhi raised the “vote fraud” issue to save the rights of people and democracy, not for political gains.
“Why is the Election Commission avoiding releasing digital voters’ lists? The EC should answer queries posed to it by Gandhi, but instead, BJP leaders are coming forward to defend the poll body,” he added.
The BJP has rejected the allegations raised by Congress leaders.
BJP leader and MP minister Vishwas Sarang said the Congress, which ruled the country for a long time, has consistently defamed democracy and Constitutional institutions.
“By using words like vote theft, Rahul Gandhi is insulting democracy,” he said.
Sarang alleged that the then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru had conspired to defeat Babasaheb Ambedkar in the 1952 elections.
“74,433 votes were rejected in that election, leading to Ambedkar’s defeat by 14,561 votes. This trend continued in the 1957 elections, during and after the Emergency. Congress always tried to misuse democracy,” he alleged. PTI MAS NSK
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