Rahul Gandhi’s Yatra to Stop Vote Theft

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will kick off a 16-day, 1,300 km Voter Adhikar Yatra from Sasaram on Sunday, August 17, to combat alleged “vote theft” ahead of Bihar’s assembly elections. Joined by RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav and other Mahagathbandhan leaders, the yatra aims to safeguard the “one man, one vote” principle and challenge the Election Commission’s (EC) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which the Congress claims is a BJP-orchestrated move to disenfranchise voters. The campaign will culminate in a massive rally in Patna on September 1.

Congress media head Pawan Khera, speaking at a press conference in New Delhi’s Indira Bhawan, declared, “The Voter Adhikar Yatra will be a historic march to protect democracy. We won’t let the EC become a compartment of the BJP’s ‘double engine’ government.” Khera accused the BJP of manipulating voter lists to suppress Dalits, minorities, and marginalized communities, calling it a “conspiracy to snatch their identity.” He emphasized, “Rahul Gandhi’s yatra will awaken Bihar’s people to defend their voting rights.”

The yatra will traverse key districts, including Aurangabad, Gaya, Nawada, Nalanda, Bhagalpur, Purnea, and Siwan, raising awareness about alleged irregularities in the EC’s SIR process. Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh, at a Patna briefing, claimed the EC admitted that 20% of Bihar’s voters could lose their franchise due to the revision. “When we demanded answers, block-level officers had none. This yatra will ensure people aren’t deprived of their rights,” Singh said, accusing the BJP of ignoring calls for discussion in the assembly.

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Rahul Gandhi, the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition, framed the campaign as a “decisive battle” for democracy, stating on Thursday, “Vote chori is not just an election issue but a fight to protect the Constitution and ‘one man, one vote.’” The Congress has labeled “vote chori” a do-or-die issue, launching a web portal for citizens to report electoral fraud and demand transparent voter rolls. Khera added, “The BJP has been caught red-handed adding and deducting fake votes. Even the Supreme Court intervened after our appeals.”

The yatra builds on the Congress’ ongoing campaign, which includes viral videos like Laapata Vote, highlighting alleged vote manipulation. With public support growing, the party aims to make Bihar a beacon for electoral reform, rallying citizens to foil what they call a BJP-EC conspiracy and ensure a clean voters’ list nationwide.

Also Read: Congress Launches ‘Laapata Vote’ Video to Expose Alleged Fraud