In a bold stand for electoral integrity, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge declared on August 11, 2025, in New Delhi that the opposition’s protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and alleged "vote chori" (vote theft) is a critical battle to protect the fundamental right to vote and preserve India’s democracy. The remarks came as opposition leaders, including Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, were detained by police while attempting to march to the Election Commission (EC) office to protest voter list manipulations in Bihar.

In a fiery post on X, Kharge condemned the BJP-led government, stating, “BJP’s cowardly dictatorship will not work!” He accused the ruling party of orchestrating a conspiracy to erode democratic principles through tactics like voter suppression, particularly targeting marginalized communities. Reports indicate that in Bihar alone, 65 lakh voters, predominantly from Dalit, OBC, and minority groups, were allegedly removed from voter lists during the SIR exercise, raising widespread concerns about electoral fairness.

Kharge emphasized that the INDIA alliance—a coalition of opposition parties—would relentlessly expose this “BJP conspiracy to shred the Constitution.” The protest, which saw MPs marching from Parliament, was halted by police, who detained leaders and transported them away in buses, escalating tensions.

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This incident follows similar accusations in states like Tripura, where the Congress has launched campaigns against voter list tampering. With national elections looming, the opposition’s fight underscores growing fears over the integrity of India’s electoral process, where conviction rates for electoral malpractices remain low, and public trust in institutions like the EC is increasingly strained.

Also Read: Congress Launches 'Vote Chori' Campaign, Targets EC Over Alleged Poll Fraud