&w=3840&q=100)
Rahul Gandhi alleges vote theft by EC, here's how political leaders reacted
Gandhi specifically cited an analysis of voter data from Karnataka's Mahadevapura assembly segment, alleging that the Election Commission rigged the polls at the BJP's behest to ensure their victory.
Right after Gandhi's claims, several political leaders came out in support of him, backing his allegations of electoral fraud. The BJP, on the other hand, was quick to counter these claims and slammed Gandhi for his accusations.
Support for Rahul Gandhi's allegations
Several prominent leaders came forward backing Gandhi's claims. Shashi Tharoor, Congress MP, urged the Election Commission to address the 'serious questions' raised, emphasising the importance of protecting the credibility of Indian democracy.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accused the BJP of manipulating the 2024 elections to remain in power, highlighting irregularities like voter roll surges in Maharashtra and deletions in Bihar. He pointed to over one lakh 'fake votes' in Mahadevapura alone that allegedly flipped Bangalore Central.
Actor Prakash Raj called Rahul Gandhi's video a wake-up call, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the nation on the issue.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray demanded the Election Commission publicly respond to the evidence presented. Sachin Pilot, Rajasthan Congress leader, also showed solidarity with Gandhi's stance.
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal commended Gandhi for exposing 'astounding facts' of massive electoral fraud and accused the Election Commission of acting as a government agent.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge backed up Gandhi's investigation, stating the Election Commission allowed rigging that led to 100,250 votes being stolen in Mahadevapura — a pattern, he said, is repeated across multiple constituencies.
CPI MP P Santhosh Kumar supported Gandhi, stating the opposition shares these concerns and criticised the Election Commission for ignoring their proposals.
BJP's response and criticism
The BJP was quick to reject Gandhi's allegations, accusing him of frustration over poor electoral performance.
BJP MP and former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad condemned Gandhi's remarks as 'irresponsible and shameless', accusing him of defaming the Election Commission.
BJP National Spokesperson Sambit Patra dismissed the claims as 'selective outrage', pointing out that the Congress praises the Election Commission only when it wins and complains otherwise.
BJP IT Cell Head Amit Malviya accused Gandhi of making baseless allegations due to the public's rejection of Congress and its allies.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale defended the Election Commission's independence and urged Gandhi to take his concerns directly to the EC, emphasizing that the voter list is prepared under the EC's supervision.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
26 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Safeguarding employment in the face of a US tariff hike
Much has been spoken and written about the higher tariffs being imposed by the United States on Indian goods. India's top exports to the US include smartphones, gems and jewellery, textiles and apparel, machinery and mechanical appliances, petroleum products, chemicals, steel and aluminium, auto and auto parts, carpets, shrimps, among assess the impact of these developments on the competitiveness of our exports to the US, it is essential to consider not just the tariff burden on the specific products, but also how these compare with the tariffs faced by our global competitors in the same products. For instance, in the textiles and apparel sector, our key competitors include China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Germany and Italy, all of which have lower tariffs than our present proposed tariff structure with the 50 percent hike. Mapping the most affected sectors: To better prepare for the implications of higher tariffs, particularly for the employment scenario in India, it is crucial to identify the products that will be most impacted by the additional tariffs – both in terms of production volume and the number of workers employed in these sectors. This analysis should be complemented by an evaluation of whether the surplus output from these sectors can be absorbed either through trade-diversification or within the domestic economy to arrive at a realistic assessment of the impact on India's manufacturing, exports, employment, and GDP. Currently, the proposed 50 percent additional tariffs will not impact smartphones, pharmaceutical products, or petroleum exports - offering relief to the lakhs of workers employed in their production, from iPhone assembly lines in Sriperumbudur to pharmaceutical hubs in Hyderabad Pharma city and refineries of Navi Mumbai. However, the sectors requiring immediate evaluation are the labour-intensive industries, such as textiles and apparel, as well as gems and jewellery. Employment in these sectors is estimated at 4.5 crore and 50 lakh workers, respectively - many of whom work in small-scale operations. Other sectors that warrant attention from an employment perspective include steel, aluminium, automobiles, and auto components and marine sector. Textiles & Apparel: A large non-farm employer: From an employment perspective, textiles and apparel constitute one of the largest employers in India, after agriculture. In FY2025, textile & apparel exports to US markets alone were valued at USD 8.4 billion. This sector not only supports a significant share of the Indian workforce but also employs a higher proportion of women - particularly in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh - due to concentration of ready-made garment units in these states. Vulnerability of SME Garment units: Apparel exports are more sensitive, with around 33 percent of the garments destined for the US market in 2024. The pre-dominance of small and medium units in the ready-made garments segment makes the sector highly vulnerable – not only to global price fluctuations but also in terms of impact on employment. While the larger brands may find ways to diversify their markets, the small and medium units will need handholding to be able to navigate this period, especially as many of their orders are already committed to international brands for the upcoming Christmas season. Gems & Jewellery: employment and export clusters a concern: Equally concerning are the gems and jewellery exports, which employ about 50 lakh workers. Major export clusters in Surat, Jaipur and Mumbai, for instance, export a large part of their production, with exports to the US market alone reaching USD 10 billion in diamonds, gold and related products in FY2025. Diversifying export markets for resilience: As part of contingency planning in these sectors, it is important to explore expansion of India's export markets for both textiles & garments, as well as gems & jewellery - particularly in countries where we have trade agreements, FTAs, including with energy-rich countries of Middle East and Central Asia, as well as select European markets emerging as top destinations for our products. However, such export diversification and expansion may take time and concerted effort. In the meanwhile, the small and medium enterprise (SME) units in these sectors may need targeted support, potentially under the Export Promotion Mission – as has rightly been suggested in recent media reports. Steel & Aluminium: monitoring downstream impact: Turning to steel and aluminium sectors, current employment numbers stand at approximately 35 lakhs. These sectors warrant early evaluation, as well, particularly in the context of tariffs imposed on competing countries exporting to the US, in the likelihood of US buyers seeking lower prices and diverting their demand away from Indian exports in these sectors. Automobiles & Auto components: uneven exposure to tariffs: Automobiles and auto components sector are another large employer in India, with numbers touching about 4 crores. The export dependence in these sectors is relatively moderate, though it remains significant. In FY2025, exports of vehicles and auto parts to the US were at USD 2.6 billion. Interestingly, the segment of vehicles benefits from strong domestic demand, expected to pick up with the upcoming festive season and a supportive monetary policy, including a repo rate conducive to increased consumption of durables. However, within this segment, auto parts are more susceptible to the impact of potential US tariffs, given the possibility of American importers turning to cheaper supplies from other nations such as Canada, China or Mexico. Policy priorities for protecting jobs: In conclusion, several labour-intensive exports from India to the US require early impact-assessment and targeted support. Sectors of particular concern from employment point of view include SMEs in apparel, gems and jewellery, auto components, downstream industries in steel, aluminium and marine farming. States that are key exporters of these products to US markets would benefit from initiating early impact assessments and developing alternative strategies, even as we remain hopeful for a fair, mutually beneficial and constructive outcome in the upcoming round of trade negotiations with the US. (The author is Sumita Dawra, former Secretary, M/o Labour & Employment, Govt of India)
India.com
26 minutes ago
- India.com
Prashant Kishor Alleges Nitish Kumar Lacks Fitness, Incable To Continue As CM
In a sharp political attack ahead of the upcoming Bihar assembly elections, Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor on Sunday appealed to voters to move beyond Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, claiming that Kumar's physical and mental health no longer permit him to effectively lead the state. Speaking to mediapersons at a roadshow in Bihar's Nalanda, Jan Suraaj founder said, "Due to the good work done by Nitish Kumar, people, especially the people of Nalanda-Harnaut, made him the Chief Minister for 20 years. But today, Nitish Kumar's physical and mental condition is not such that he can remain the Chief Minister. He has grown old; that is why people now have to look beyond Nitish." He further said that roads were improved and electricity was provided during Nitish Kumar's tenure as Chief Minister, but he failed to provide education and employment. "During Nitish's rule, roads were improved, and electricity was provided, but people did not get employment, and migration did not stop. Nalanda has definitely developed more than other districts, but the poverty of the people here has never been eradicated. "Till now, no provision has been made for education and employment for the children of the people here," Kishor said. Earlier on August 3, Kishor criticised the Election Commission over the alleged removal of names from the electoral rolls but asserted that "those whose names remain on the voter list are enough to remove BJP and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar" in the upcoming assembly elections. The Jan Suraaj founder also launched a scathing attack on RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, saying that he has no issues to talk about. Yadav has claimed that his name is missing in the draft electoral rolls of Bihar. Kishor said, "Tejashwi Yadav has no issues to talk about; there is no doubt that the Election Commission is removing people's names... but those whose names remain on the voter list are enough to remove BJP and Nitish Kumar, how many names will they cut? ... The people of Bihar have decided that they want employment, not empty speeches... no one is going to fall for false promises; those whose names are not on the list will fight the Election Commission, the Election Commission is not the master; the people are the masters. Whoever the people vote for will win." Taking aim at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, Kishor accused him of "mocking" the people of Bihar in Delhi. He also accused Gandhi of showing indifference when Biharis are "attacked" in different states. Notably, assembly polls are due later this year.
India.com
26 minutes ago
- India.com
Bihar SIR: Tejashwi Yadav claims Deputy CM Sinha has two EPIC numbers, his response is...
Tejashwi Yadav (File) Bihar Elections: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday flagged loopholes in the Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR), claiming that the state's Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha has two voter ID cards with two different EPIC numbers. 'Vijay Kumar Sinha is a voter from two different assembly constituencies in two different districts. His name is there in the Lakhisarai assembly constituency in the same district and also in Bankipur assembly constituency in Patna district,' Yadav told reporters in Patna. What did Tejashwi Yadav say? Tejashwi, the Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly, claimed that Sinha is registered as a voter in the Lakhisarai assembly constituency under EPIC ID number IAF3939337, while his ID number in the Bankipur assembly constituency in Patna district is AFS0853341. 'He has two different Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) cards. Surprisingly, it has happened after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) by the Election Commission in Bihar. Who should be held responsible, either Sinha himself or the Election Commission? What action is being taken against Sinha? When will he (Sinha) resign from the post after the revelations?,' he asked, according to PTI. Why Bihar deputy CM's name is listed in two constituencies? Meanwhile, responding to Yadav's allegations, Vijay Kumar Sinha refuted the charge, stating that in April 2024, he had filed an application to have his name added to the voter list in the Lakhisarai constituency and remove it from Bankipur. 'It did not happen immediately, so I called the BLO, filled the form, and took the receiving. I have all the documents. I vote from only one place last time too, it was in Lakhisarai.' The Bihar Deputy CM said earlier his whole were listed as voters in Patna district, and he had applied to add his name to Lakhirai in 2024 and remove it from Bankipur, Patna, but the deletion form was rejected. 'Earlier, my entire family's name was listed in Patna. In April 2024, I applied to add my name to the Lakhisarai Assembly. I also filled out a form to have my name removed from there. I have proof. For some reason, my name wasn't removed, so I called the BLO, submitted a written application, and took a receipt. I have both documents. My deletion form was rejected,' he stated. Sinha added that he flagged the issue with the Election Commission after the poll body released the draft voter list, following the SIR in the state. He said that the ECI has given a month correction window, and the final voter list has not been released yet. 'One month is given for the correction. People questioning a Constitutional body do not have trust in the Constitution. They spread confusion and are a danger to democracy. Due to this correction window, I have given to the BLO in writing to remove my name. It would have been the Election Commission's mistake if it did not have a correction window. The final electoral roll has not been released. My name is under the process,' he told reporters. EC asks Tejashwi to explain allegations Notably, the ECI has asked Tejashwi Yadav to respond to the allegations that Sinha holds two EPIC numbers. 'I have replied to the EC…why should I need to give an explanation for this?,' Yadav said, while accusing the poll watchdog of to pin on him a 'mistake committed by its own officials'. 'Galti khud karen aur explanation hamse mangege (They make the mistake themselves and are seeking an explanation from me),' Tejashwi said. 'Whose lapse is it if two EPIC numbers were issued to me?,' he asked. On Saturday, Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Kumar posted screenshots of the draft electoral rolls on X, that show Sinha as a voter in Lakhisarai, his assembly seat, as well as Bankipur in the capital city. 'Had Sinha been casting his vote from two places? How did he file his enumeration forms from more than one place? Would there be an FIR against him for this fraud?,' he asked. The authenticity of the screenshots shared by the Congress leader could not be independently verified by (With inputs from agencies)
