On Monday, opposition members marched from Parliament to the Election Commission in Bihar to protest alleged 'vote theft' and voter list amendment, only to be detained by police midway. This procession included leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge along with other MPs from opposition parties.
'EC's Data Might Get Exposed'
During the march, media asked Rahul Gandhi why he hasn't responded to the election commission's notice. Gandhi stated, 'It's the commission's data, not mine to validate. We gave it to you; put it online so everyone can see. This isn't exclusive to Bengaluru but extends to various other constituencies. The election commission is aware that its data will be exposed, hence the urge to control and hide it is evident.'
Notice from the Election Commission
The Election Commission took a stern approach regarding Rahul Gandhi's allegations of discrepancies in Karnataka's voter list. They addressed a letter to the Congress MP and Leader of Opposition, asking him to submit evidence of his claims regarding voter names, addresses, and identities tampering, and to sign a sworn affidavit. If not, Gandhi was asked to retract his statement and cease misleading the public.
March by Opposition MPs
Police set up barricades near the PTI Building on Parliament Street, blocking the route. In response, many MPs sat on the road, chanting slogans. TMC's Mahua Moitra, Congress's Sanjana Jatav, and Jothimani, among other female MPs, climbed onto the barricades, protesting against the Election Commission. Police detained them in buses and took them to the Parliament Street police station, where they were later released.
'This Battle is to Save the Constitution, Not Political'
Rahul Gandhi emphasized that this struggle is not political but a quest to protect the constitution. 'This fight is for 'One Man, One Vote,' and we aim for a clean, transparent voter list.' He alleged that in a Karnataka constituency, their party's research found over 100,000 fraudulent votes, with the Election Commission attempting to obscure this truth.
