Gehlot slams Centre amid row over EC; BJP hits back
Jaipur, Aug. 11 -- Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday backed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegations of "vote theft" and accused the Centre of trying to turn the Election Commission (EC) into an institution "similar to those in countries like North Korea, Russia, and China, where one-party rule prevails."
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hit back at the veteran Congress leader, asking him to advise Gandhi to submit an affidavit to EC to probe his allegations.
"The Commission's demand for an affidavit from him is absurd and appears to be an attempt to save its own image," Gehlot said, adding that Gandhi had presented all evidence of "#VoteChori" before the public.
He said, "In countries such as North Korea, China, and Russia, where there is only one-party rule, the Election Commission still conducts elections. The whole world knows the condition of those election commissions and the state of their elections. Is a similar model being attempted in India?"
Gehlot said that during former chief election commissioner OP Rawat's tenure, any allegation by a senior leader was investigated suo-motu by the poll body, and facts were shared with the public to maintain trust. He questioned, "Why is similar action not being taken now?"
Pointing out that several opposition leaders-including Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, and Narendra Modi-had accused the Election Commission of bias, Gehlot asked, "How many of them submitted affidavits to the Commission?"
He further questioned whether the Commission would have sought an affidavit if the revelations made by Rahul Gandhi had instead been exposed by an investigative journalist or media outlet.
Reacting to Gehlot's remarks, state BJP spokesperson Laxmikant Bharadwaj questioned Gandhi's confidence about the allegations. "If a leader is fully confident about the allegations they are making, why are they afraid to give an affidavit? Rahul Gandhi is habitually dishonest; it is his old habit to target constitutional institutions after losing elections. The country's people have repeatedly rejected him. Ashok Gehlot is a senior leader and he should advise Rahul Gandhi that if what he is saying is true, he should submit it in an affidavit," he said.
Meanwhile, on the directions of the All India Congress Committee, a video presentation of leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi "vote theft" allegations was screened at the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) headquarters in Jaipur on Sunday.
The event was attended by Congress MLAs, party candidates, state office-bearers, and a large number of party leaders and workers.
RPCC general secretary and media chairperson Swarnim Chaturvedi said that state Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra has instructed all district party committees to screen the same video at district headquarters on Monday in the presence of party leaders and workers.
Gandhi on August 7 alleged that 100,250 votes were"stolen" in the Mahadevapura assembly segment of Bangalore (Central) parliamentary constituency that helped the BJP win the seat in 2024. He accused the EC of "colluding" with the ruling party....
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