Rahul Gandhi Mocks CEC: “Even His Sardar Ji Colleague Knows He’s Lying”; Critics call it Disrespectful

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday intensified his criticism of the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging widespread voter list manipulation in the 2024 Haryana Assembly elections. In a press conference titled “H Files,” he presented what he called evidence of voter data tampering and mockingly referred to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s previous statements as deceptive. The event, initially hyped as the unveiling of a “Hydrogen Bomb,” turned into a fiery attack on what Rahul described as “Operation Sarkar Chori” — a systematic effort to “steal” Congress’s alleged victory.

During the press conference, Rahul Gandhi played a clip from an earlier ECI briefing in which CEC Gyanesh Kumar had dismissed allegations of vote “chori” (theft). Pointing to the video, Rahul took a jab at the top poll officer, saying, “Look, even the Sardar ji next to him looks like he can smell lies.” The remark referred to Election Commissioner Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, who appeared alongside Gyanesh Kumar and Vivek Joshi in the footage. The Congress MP’s sarcastic tone quickly sparked reactions online, with supporters lauding his audacity and critics calling the comment disrespectful.

Rahul Gandhi reiterated his claim that Congress would have “swept” the Haryana elections if not for manipulation of voter rolls. He alleged that the ECI oversaw tens of thousands of fake entries and deliberate deletions across several districts, drastically altering results. “This isn’t an administrative error; it’s a strategic operation to change the outcome,” he said, accusing the commission of acting under political influence. Gandhi also referred to specific irregularities, including a bizarre instance where photographs of a Brazilian model allegedly appeared 22 times in voter lists under different names such as Seema, Sweety, and Rashmi.

Also Read: Kerala HC Orders Criminal Case Over Alleged Gold Theft at Sabarimala

The slideshow presented by Gandhi displayed what he claimed were falsified voter IDs, duplicate entries, and mismatched demographic data across 10 booths in multiple constituencies. He maintained that these inconsistencies were orchestrated to ensure a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) victory. In contrast to the Congress’s claims, the BJP secured a majority in the 2024 Haryana Assembly elections, winning 48 of the 90 seats. Exit polls had predicted a comfortable Congress win, but the actual results turned the narrative around, fueling allegations now resurfacing through Rahul’s campaign.

Responding to the controversy, the Election Commission earlier said that all voter lists undergo verification and periodic revisions under lawful procedures, dismissing tampering claims as “baseless and misleading.” Despite this, Rahul Gandhi vowed to pursue the matter further, declaring that the party will expose what he described as “India’s biggest electoral scandal since independence.” His remarks, combining political satire and sharp accusations, have reignited debate over electoral transparency ahead of upcoming state polls.

Also Read: ‘Democracy Hijacked’: Rahul Gandhi Accuses EC of Colluding With PM Modi, Shah