Paromita Das
New Delhi, 27th August: For months now, Rahul Gandhi has been repeating one refrain across press conferences, public rallies, and now during his “Voter Adhikar Yatra” — Bharat’s elections have been stolen. From coining phrases like “vote chori” (vote theft) to accusing the Election Commission of colluding with the BJP, Gandhi has tried to cast doubt on one of the world’s largest democratic exercises. But after weeks of sloganeering, the question that confronts him is simple: if there is evidence, why hasn’t he produced it? The Election Commission has thrown down the gauntlet, asking him to file a sworn affidavit with proof or apologize to the nation. Predictably, he has done neither.
This refusal exposes a deeper crisis in Bharatiya politics — a shift from debate and evidence-based politics to rhetoric and conspiracy theories aimed at undermining institutions.
The Election Commission’s Challenge
On August 17, the Election Commission issued a blunt ultimatum to the Congress leader: submit an affidavit with details of “disenfranchised” voters and alleged fake names on the rolls, or publicly apologize. The deadline expired on August 25 with no affidavit, no apology, and no proof. Instead, Gandhi escalated his accusations, calling the electoral body a partisan player and accusing it of facilitating “vote theft.”
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar minced no words: “Halafnama dena hoga ya desh se maafi maangni hogi, koi teesra vikalp nahi hai.” The Commission even reminded Gandhi that under the Representation of the People Act, knowingly making false claims about electoral rolls is punishable. If his claims were genuine, the legal route — filing an election petition within 45 days of results — was always available. Yet not a single such petition was filed by Congress after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Vote Chori: Political Weapon, Not Democratic Concern
What emerges instead is a pattern. Whenever Congress faces electoral defeat, Rahul Gandhi introduces a new “narrative” to discredit the results. From alleging EVM manipulation in 2019, to now charging “vote theft,” the claims are never substantiated, only amplified.
Ironically, the Election Commission’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar has exposed the real story: 65 lakh names on the electoral rolls were either duplicates, deceased, or ineligible voters. Many of these irregular entries benefitted opposition bastions. Instead of welcoming the clean-up, Congress and its allies have opposed it. The reason is obvious — the removal of fake voters chips away at their support base.
The same holds true in Maharashtra and Karnataka, where Rahul Gandhi’s examples of “stolen votes” were debunked one by one. In Mahadevapura, supposed “fake voters” turned out to be migrant workers with legitimate IDs. In Bihar, his star witness Subodh Kumar was not even on the rolls to begin with — he was in fact an RJD booth agent. Ranju Devi, another supposed victim, later admitted her name was intact on the rolls. Even claims of one voter, Aditya Srivastava, casting votes in three states fell apart after he clarified his voter ID was lawfully updated as he moved across cities.
When Evidence Fails, Rhetoric Rises
Unable to substantiate, Rahul Gandhi has shifted the goalpost. He now argues that his word is an oath, since he swore allegiance to the Constitution as a Member of Parliament. This attempt to equate political rhetoric with sworn testimony shows the intellectual hollowness of his campaign.
It also reveals a larger strategy: to erode public trust in institutions. When courts rule against Congress, they attack the judiciary. When the Election Commission refuses to toe their line, it becomes “biased.” This is not about strengthening democracy, but about delegitimizing it when outcomes do not favor them.
Congress’s Selective Amnesia
The irony is sharp. For decades, Congress controlled Bharat’s institutions, bending them to suit dynastic politics. Indira Gandhi went as far as amending the Constitution to shield her office from judicial scrutiny. Now that voters have repeatedly relegated the party to the opposition benches, they accuse the BJP of doing the very same.
Even Congress insiders are not convinced by Gandhi’s “vote chori” narrative. Karnataka Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna bluntly questioned why the party had stayed silent on irregularities while it was in power. His honest admission — that the party failed to act and is now crying foul — cost him his ministerial post, but it exposed the cracks within.
A Dangerous Precedent for Bharatiya Democracy
Rahul Gandhi’s refusal to provide evidence is not just a political misstep, it is a dangerous precedent. By peddling conspiracy theories without accountability, the Congress risks normalizing distrust in Bharat’s democratic institutions. The Election Commission, long respected globally for conducting elections at an unmatched scale, is being reduced to a political punching bag.
This is not about BJP versus Congress — it is about safeguarding the integrity of Bharat’s democracy. If leaders can casually claim “vote theft” without consequence, faith in elections — the cornerstone of democracy — weakens.
Time for Proof, Not Propaganda
Rahul Gandhi has had his chance. The Election Commission gave him the opportunity to back his words with evidence. Instead, he chose bluster over proof, slogans over affidavits. The truth is becoming increasingly clear: “vote chori” is not a revelation, but a political tool designed to delegitimize the electoral mandate of the Bharatiya people.
The time has come for Rahul Gandhi to either substantiate his allegations with hard facts or accept the verdict of the people with humility. Democracy cannot be held hostage to the whims of a leader unable to digest defeat. Bharat is watching — and it demands accountability, not theatrics.
