Rahul Gandhi Targets Election Commission Again: "If You Attack Constitution..."

Rahul Gandhi made his strongest attack yet on the Election Commission on Friday, accusing it of huge election rigging in league with the BJP.

He also made a veiled threat: "Think twice before you touch the Constitution. We will catch you, one by one. It will take time. But we will."

Addressing a rally in Bengaluru, the Congress leader announced, "The Election Commission must realize one thing. if you do not give us data (i.e., voters lists and poll booth video recordings of the last decade). you cannot hide."

He asserted, "Yesterday we established, 100 per cent, the Election Commission and the BJP conspired against us to steal votes." and threatened, "One day, you will have the opposition to face."

Gandhi wrote that the website of the Election Commission had shut down in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan on Friday.

Most of his criticism has been directed against Bihar, which will be voting later this year, where there is controversy over the EC's 'special intensive revision' of rolls.

Replying to the EC's demand that he take an oath regarding his accusations, Rahul Gandhi cited that he had already sworn an oath as a Member of Parliament to defend the Constitution. "The EC asked me to file an affidavit and provide the information (on suspected voter rigging) under oath. but I have taken an oath, within the Parliament holding the Constitution."

NDTV sources told that the Election Commission asked Gandhi to sign an affidavit or declaration regarding his allegations since, previously, he has never given a self-sign letter and has renounced responses issued as a response to his allegations. "For instance, he took up the Maharashtra matter in December. There was some lawyer who wrote to us and our response is on the site. But Rahul Gandhi says we never responded."

Gandhi’s accusations gained momentum after sensational allegations made a day earlier. Using PowerPoint presentations loaded with data, he claimed the EC and BJP conspired to 'steal' 1.02 lakh votes to secure a single seat in last year’s Maharashtra assembly elections — an election where Congress and its allies suffered a heavy defeat just months after winning the state’s Lok Sabha seats.

Going further into detail, Gandhi stated about a crore 'new' voters—those who did not cast their ballots in the April-May Lok Sabha elections—voting in the state elections that took place four months later. He claimed that most of these new voters got registered at addresses which were "one-bedroom houses belonging to BJP leaders.

He said, "The Constitution provides the right to vote to every individual. but, in the recent election, an issue came before us. in Maharashtra, the INDIA bloc has won the Lok Sabha election but, after four months, the BJP wins the Assembly poll. this was surprising."

Gandhi took his accusation of vote theft beyond Maharashtra to other states as well, saying, "Vote theft is taking place in Karnataka too. duplicate voting is in Uttar Pradesh also."

The Election Commission and BJP were quick to respond, demanding proof or the withdrawal of Gandhi’s claims. BJP leader Amit Malviya dismissed Gandhi’s allegations as political theatrics aimed at confusing voters and undermining the credibility of a constitutional body responsible for free and fair elections.

EC officials reiterated their stance: "If Rahul Gandhi believes his analysis and that the allegations are true. he should have no problem signing his declaration."

The BJP Karnataka wing mounted a comprehensive counterattack on Friday morning, mere hours before Gandhi was to address Bengaluru's Freedom Park. The party alleged that Congress was embroiled in a number of corruption scandals and urged Gandhi to apologise to the people of Karnataka.

Addressing Gandhi’s protest against the EC, the BJP said, "You have every right to participate in any protest on any issue. the BJP has nothing to say on that. However, the BJP demands a 'credible and convincing' reply to the following questions. In fact, these questions have been bothering the people of Karnataka for a long time."

The BJP release cited the Mysuru Urban Development Authority scam against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his wife Parvathi, and a Congress leader diverting Rs 187 crore for the marginalized people.

The BJP also responded to Congress's common charge that it wants to alter the Constitution by pointing out the words of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. They again attacked the ruling party for the stampede at Bengaluru's MA Chinnaswamy stadium while celebrating the Royal Challengers Bangalore's first IPL title.