In a dramatic escalation of his campaign against alleged electoral malpractice, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has intensified a nationwide “Vote Chori” (vote theft) campaign, leading to protests, digital outreach, and creating pressure on the Election Commission.
On August 11, Rahul Gandhi, joined by roughly 300 opposition leaders from the INDIA bloc, led a march from Parliament to the Election Commission’s office in New Delhi. Protestors accused the EC and ruling BJP of manipulating voter rolls, especially targeting marginalized communities. The protesters attempted to breach police barricades, chanting slogans like “this fight is to defend the Constitution,” before being detained and later released.
In response, Gandhi opened a new website titled “Vote Chori”, aiming to raise public awareness and gather citizen data to expose alleged irregularities. The digital push included offers for citizens to register via missed calls, coupled with a demand for EC to publish transparent digital voter rolls.
Reacting to the allegations, the EC of Karnataka formally asked Gandhi to substantiate his claims or face legal consequences. He was required to submit a sworn declaration and detailed voter data under penalty of perjury, aligning with electoral regulations.
Support poured in, with prominent figures like Tamil actor Vijay condemning Gandhi’s detention as an assault on democracy. Meanwhile, former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda accused the EC of bias and demanded reforms such as a return to paper ballots after inconsistencies in postal versus EVM votes.
As protests spread, including a “Vote Satyagraha” launched by Madhya Pradesh Congress in Rewa Gandhi’s campaign marks a pivotal test for India’s electoral institutions and democratic resilience.
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