Rahul Gandhi takes EC dig over tea with 'dead voters'
Rahul Gandhi
on Wednesday remarked that he had had the unique experience of having tea with some "dead" voters from Bihar.
Rahul and other INDIA bloc netas are all set to embark on a 'Vote Adhikar Yatra' starting Aug 17, to make the "battle against vote chori a mass movement".
Congress said, "Seven voters in Bihar, all very much alive, shared tea with Rahul Gandhi today - even as the
Election Commission
's SIR lists them as 'dead'."
"There have been many interesting experiences in life, but I never got the chance to have tea with 'dead people'. For this unique experience, thank you Election Commission!" Rahul said on X.
Congress said they voters, who belong to RJD MP Tejashwi Yadav's constituency of Raghopur, were removed from the electoral rolls despite having completed the requisite paperwork.
Congress also hit back at BJP for its claim of irregularities on seats contested by some top opposition netas, with Pawan Khera telling PTI the data shared points to the governing party's collusion with EC and demanding that 2024 Lok Sabha polls be considered "null and void".
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
27 minutes ago
- Hans India
BJP's Rituraj Sinha calls INDIA bloc's stir on SIR 'fake Voter Protection Yatra'
Patna: Bharatiya Janata Party National Secretary Rituraj Sinha has launched a sharp attack on the INDIA bloc's Voter Adhikar Yatra, led by Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav, dismissing it as a 'Fake Voter Protection Yatra'. Sinha alleged that the yatra was not about protecting democratic rights but a well-planned conspiracy to safeguard duplicate voter cards, the names of deceased persons, and votes of illegal infiltrators. He questioned Rahul Gandhi directly, asking: 'Does Rahul Gandhi stand with those seven lakh fake voters identified by the Election Commission? Or does he justify voting in the name of 22 lakh dead people?' Claiming the campaign was designed to defend illegal residents in Bihar, Sinha said such infiltrators not only distort the vote bank but also pose a threat to the state's social fabric and security. 'Does Rahul Gandhi want to save the votes of infiltrators or protect the borders of the country?' he asked. The BJP leader described the yatra as an attempt to pollute democracy with fraud and illegal elements, calling it unconstitutional and against the electoral system and population balance. He asserted that the BJP would not allow any anti-national agenda to succeed, expressing confidence that voters in Bihar will give a befitting reply in the upcoming elections. 'The real strength of democracy is honest and eligible voters, not illegal infiltrators with fake identities,' Sinha said. The India bloc will launch its Voter Adhikar Yatra on Sunday from Sasaram to protest alleged irregularities in Bihar's voter list revision. The 1,300 km-long journey will be led jointly by the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav. Senior leaders, including Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge, CPI(ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, and VIP chief Mukesh Sahani, will also join the yatra. Over the 16-day campaign, Rahul Gandhi will engage with people both on foot and by vehicle, depending on the density of the population.
Time of India
35 minutes ago
- Time of India
Voter Adhikar Yatra: Bihar minister takes dig at Rahul Gandhi; tells him to thank Nitish for smooth roads making 'big yatra' possible
Rahul Gandhi (left), NItish Kumar (TOI) Bihar minister Ashok Choudhary on Sunday took a sharp dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi ahead of the launch of the party's 'Voter Adhikar Yatra', saying he should thank chief minister Nitish Kumar for improving road infrastructure in the state, which made the rally possible, reported news agency ANI. 'Rahul Gandhi should thank Nitish Kumar, for the roads that used to be in such bad shape are now so smooth that Rahul Gandhi is even able to take out a Yatra... He should be grateful that such a big Yatra will be possible due to Nitish Kumar's roads,' Choudhary said, as quoted by the agency. The Congress-led yatra is being launched from Sasaram in protest against the election commission's special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar. The party, along with INDIA block allies, alleges large-scale voter exclusion and 'vote theft'. Senior leaders including RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, former Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, Congress president mallikarjun kharge and Rahul Gandhi are expected to participate. Preparations for the event are underway outside in Patna. Bihar leader of opposition Tejashwi Yadav, addressing the media on Saturday, said the campaign aims to raise awareness among voters whose names have been excluded from the electoral list. "We are starting the 'Vote Adhikar Yatra' from Sasaram tomorrow. Tomorrow, we will all be with the Mahagathbandhan allies. We will visit several districts, and our effort will be to make people aware so that no voter's name is left out. We also have fought for this and got a relief from the Supreme Court in this matter, whether it is the Supreme Court direction to the Election Commission of India to publish the list of 65 lakh persons excluded or deleted from the Bihar draft electoral voters list, along with the reasons," Yadav said. Calling the yatra as a 'historical journey', Tejashwi said the Mahagathbandhan would take its message to multiple districts and seek public support. "Tomorrow, Rahul Gandhi and other leaders of the Mahagathbandhan will go among the people and make them aware of voter rights. Along with this, we will also raise the local issues. We will also convey what our vision would be if we form our government. This is going to be a historical journey, and we will get the blessings of the Bihar voters," he added. The yatra will begin on Sunday, from Sasaram, Bihar.
News18
36 minutes ago
- News18
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri begins two-day visit to Nepal
Kathmandu [Nepal], August 17 (ANI): Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri arrived in Kathmandu on Sunday morning for a two-day official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between India and landed in the Nepali capital at 9 am (local time) on a special Indian Air Force flight. He was received at the airport by Nepal's Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai and the Indian Ambassador to a statement issued on Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the visit as part of the 'tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries."'India attaches high priority to its relations with Nepal under its Neighborhood First policy. Foreign Secretary's upcoming visit continues the tradition of regular high level exchanges between the two countries and will be an opportunity to further advance our bilateral ties," the MEA Ministry of Foreign Affairs said discussions during the visit will focus on enhancing the Nepal-India partnership, with special attention to connectivity, development cooperation, and other issues of mutual after his arrival, Misri paid a courtesy call on Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at Baluwatar. He is also scheduled to meet President Ram Chandra addition, the Foreign Secretary will hold separate meetings with senior leaders, including former Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and CPN-UML Chairman Pushpa Kamal engagements are expected to provide an opportunity to review recent developments in bilateral ties and discuss ways to deepen cooperation. He will conclude his two-day visit on August 18. (ANI)
