Recently, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his supporters have been raising a loud uproar about alleged “vote chori” or election rigging in states like Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Haryana. They claim elections are being stolen, but a closer look at voter rolls and historical records suggests the real problems may lie within their own party’s backyard, including fake voters and infiltrators. This is not speculation; the numbers and evidence from voter lists point to irregularities that need attention.
Rahul Gandhi presents himself as the “Samvidhan Rakshak,” or guardian of the Constitution, but critics argue that his actions often undermine the very institutions he claims to protect. His booth-level agents (BLAs) did not file complaints or seek CCTV footage within the 45-day window after elections, leaving gaps in oversight. Meanwhile, he and his team have attacked electronic voting machines (EVMs) and the Election Commission (EC), calling them unreliable without providing proof. This approach raises questions about whether his priority is safeguarding democracy or stirring public unrest.
Rahul Gandhi’s accusations have grown over time, from questioning EVMs to criticizing the EC, especially after Congress losses in Maharashtra and Haryana. In Karnataka, where Congress won the assembly elections, the party is still raising concerns about voter anomalies. This selective outrage suggests political convenience rather than genuine concern for electoral integrity.
The Gandhi family has a long history in Indian politics, and critics argue that past members have used questionable tactics to secure power. Early examples include Nehru allegedly manipulating provincial elections in 1946, Indira Gandhi imposing the Emergency in 1975 after losing in Rae Bareli, and Rajiv Gandhi blaming ballot papers after losing in 1989. Rahul Gandhi is seen as continuing this pattern by challenging election results selectively and criticizing democratic institutions when outcomes are unfavorable.
Past elections also show irregularities in Congress strongholds. In Kerala, Wayanad had tens of thousands of doubtful voters, including duplicates and improbable ages. Rae Bareli reported over two lakh suspicious entries, while Diamond Harbour in West Bengal saw more than 250,000 doubtful voters with multiple duplicates and mixed households. Similar issues have been noted in constituencies controlled by other opposition parties, such as Akhilesh Yadav’s Kannauj, Dimple Yadav’s Mainpuri, and M.K. Stalin’s Kolathur.
Many of these irregularities are linked to “ghuspaithiya” or infiltrator vote banks. Opposition parties like Congress, SP, TMC, and DMK have often been accused of shielding these groups to maintain political advantage. Special intensive revision (SIR) drives have successfully cleaned voter rolls in the past, but opposition parties now attack such measures, claiming they hurt their vote banks. Evidence shows duplicates, fake addresses, false relatives, and improbable ages, suggesting systematic manipulation rather than minor errors.
For example, in Wayanad, there were tens of thousands of doubtful voters, with some individuals listed multiple times under different voter IDs. In Rae Bareli, fake addresses and duplicate voters appeared in large numbers, pointing to organized attempts to pad voter rolls. Diamond Harbour and other constituencies in West Bengal show similar patterns, with hundreds of thousands of questionable entries. These anomalies risk undermining the votes of real citizens while protecting engineered vote banks.
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Critics argue that by attacking EVMs, the EC, and voter verification processes, Rahul Gandhi is eroding public trust and creating division, all while distracting from irregularities within his own party. Claims of “vote chori” focus attention on imagined threats rather than real problems like infiltrators or duplicate voters. Opposition leaders demand fairness only when they lose, but ignore the same issues when they win, highlighting a pattern of selective outrage.
Maharashtra’s 2024 assembly elections illustrate this point. Rahul Gandhi claimed a suspicious voter addition of 4.4 percent after general elections, yet under UPA rule, additions were even higher in previous elections without objections. Similarly, “late surge” in voting turnout has been explained by regular polling trends, but Congress continues to allege foul play. In Karnataka, the party controlled the state machinery during elections, yet now questions the voter rolls, even as evidence shows irregularities in areas under their own influence.
The opposition’s focus on alleged “vote theft” often ignores the underlying problem of ghuspaithiya vote banks and manipulation of voter lists. Efforts to clean rolls and verify voter identities should not be seen as attacks, but as essential for a healthy democracy. The selective outrage and politicization of election processes risk destabilizing public trust and national stability.
In conclusion, the loud accusations from Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders about vote theft distract from real issues like infiltrator votes, duplicate entries, and mismanaged rolls. While claiming to protect the Constitution, they often undermine democratic institutions and processes. Ensuring clean voter rolls and verifying eligible voters is critical to safeguarding democracy, rather than serving partisan interests. The nation must remain vigilant and prioritize transparency over political noise, while opposition parties reconcile their rhetoric with evidence-based electoral integrity.
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