Congress Video Targets Alleged ‘Vote Chori’ in Polls

The Congress party intensified its campaign against alleged electoral fraud, dubbed ‘vote chori,’ by releasing a compelling minute-long video on Wednesday, illustrating how fake votes are cast to undermine democracy. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, sharing the video on X, called on citizens to “raise their voice” against this “theft of rights” and protect constitutional institutions from what he described as the BJP’s grip. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi echoed the sentiment, stating, “Stealing your vote is stealing your identity and rights.”

The video, titled ‘Booth Par Vote Chori,’ depicts a family arriving at a polling booth only to be told their votes were already cast by others. It concludes with two individuals casting fake votes, giving a thumbs-up to an officer at a desk labeled ‘Election Chori Aayog,’ a pointed jab at the Election Commission of India (ECI). The Congress has labeled ‘vote chori’ a “do-or-die” issue, alleging it’s not just theft but “dacoity” as evidence mounts.

On Tuesday, Kharge convened a high-level meeting with party leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Jairam Ramesh, K C Venugopal, Sachin Pilot, and others, to strategize on escalating the issue. Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar, briefing the media, announced a three-pronged action plan: ‘Loktantra Bachao Mashaal Marches’ on August 14 at district headquarters, ‘Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhorh’ rallies from August 22 to September 7 at state capitals, and a nationwide signature campaign from September 15 to October 15 to safeguard voting rights. The entire INDIA bloc supports these initiatives, Kumar emphasized.

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The party also launched a web portal, votechori.in/ecdemand, allowing citizens to register complaints, demand ECI accountability, and access alleged evidence of ‘vote chori.’ Rahul Gandhi, in a video on the portal, reiterated claims of a “huge criminal fraud” orchestrated through collusion between the BJP and the ECI, citing irregularities in a Karnataka constituency as proof. He called it a “crime against the Constitution,” urging public support via the portal.

The campaign follows a dramatic protest on Monday, where opposition MPs, including Kharge, Gandhi, and Sharad Pawar, marched from Parliament to the ECI office in New Delhi to protest alleged voter roll manipulations in Bihar and beyond. The march was halted by police, leading to brief detentions amid high tensions. The Congress’s aggressive push, backed by the INDIA bloc, aims to galvanize public outrage and demand electoral transparency as the nation approaches Independence Day.

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