If EC Has Different Facts, Publish Them: Oppn

A day after Rahul Gandhi, leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of facilitating “criminal fraud” and colluding with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to manipulate voter rolls in Karnataka, leaders from the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) rallied in support of his claims. They urged the ECI to publicly respond with concrete evidence.

Speaking to a news agency, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi expressed his concerns regarding the ECI’s reaction to Gandhi’s press conference, stating, “The way the Election Commission felt it necessary to respond after Rahul Gandhi’s press conference shows their hesitation and unease.” He emphasized that the ECI failed to provide a direct answer to Gandhi’s pointed questions. “Now they’re asking for proof and declarations. But Rahul Gandhi already presented all the evidence publicly,” Gogoi added, challenging the ECI to clarify its stance.

Gogoi further pressed the Election Commission, saying, “If the Election Commission has different or contradictory facts, they should publish them. Rahul Gandhi mentioned several names; if you have data, show that he didn’t get that information from your official website.” His remarks highlight the growing tension between the opposition and the electoral body, as they demand transparency and accountability.

Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also voiced her support for Gandhi’s allegations, drawing parallels to similar incidents in Maharashtra. “Yesterday, Rahul Gandhi presented clear evidence from Karnataka showing how votes are being added and deleted,” she stated. Chaturvedi pointed out that a comparable situation occurred in Maharashtra, where “around 12-13 thousand votes were found from the same university and college campuses, including students from other states voting there.”

She further elaborated on the implications of these actions, asserting, “In the same way, Karnataka’s case reveals voter additions and deletions to manipulate elections and undermine voters.” Chaturvedi also criticized the BJP for its unfulfilled promises, questioning the silence surrounding the party’s earlier commitments. “JP Nadda had raised the slogan ‘One Nation, One Election’ before the Lok Sabha polls, but it hasn’t materialized. There are over 400 such cases, and the Election Commission must respond properly instead of threatening people,” she remarked.

Earlier on Thursday, during a press conference, Rahul Gandhi had claimed that “1,00,250 fake votes were created in the Mahadevapura Assembly segment under the Bangalore Central Lok Sabha constituency,” describing it as part of a broader scheme to secure the BJP’s victory through electoral fraud. His allegations have sparked significant controversy and debate regarding the integrity of the electoral process in Karnataka.

Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat also weighed in on the issue, stating, “This is not a joke; the Election Commission must answer. This is an important matter, and as Rahul Gandhi clearly pointed out yesterday, this is an attempt to undermine democracy.” He emphasized the seriousness of the allegations, asserting that “steps have already been taken in that direction, but we will continue to fight both inside and outside the House to save democracy.”

In response to the mounting pressure, the ECI issued a statement rejecting the allegations and requesting specific evidence to substantiate the claims made by Gandhi. However, the opposition remains steadfast in its demands for a comprehensive public response, urging the poll body to clarify whether the data cited by Rahul Gandhi was indeed available on its official portals. The ongoing confrontation between the opposition and the ECI underscores the critical importance of electoral integrity and transparency in the democratic process.