Is Rahul Gandhi's Claim of Fake Voters in Karnataka True?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Rahul Gandhi's allegations about fake voters have been disproven.
- The Election Commission confirmed the authenticity of the involved individuals.
- Political accountability is crucial in maintaining electoral integrity.
- Public claims should be verified before being made.
- The caste survey's foundation on electoral rolls has stirred controversy.
Bengaluru, Aug 8 (NationPress) The assertion made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi regarding a family of voters being false has been disproved. A preliminary investigation conducted by the Election Commission in Bengaluru has determined that the individuals involved are indeed genuine voters, according to sources on Friday.
Rahul Gandhi had accused a family of three—one male and two females—of being fake voters, citing a lack of access to their photographs. However, images of the trio, complete with their GPS-tagged address, have emerged on social media.
The pictures reveal the family members showcasing their Voter ID cards at their home located at 2nd Main, JCR Layout, Panthur, close to Kadubeesanahalli in Bengaluru. The family consists of Om Prakash Bagri, Saraswati Devi Bagri, and Mala Bagri, as confirmed by ECI sources.
Sources indicated that the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Karnataka requested Rahul Gandhi to personally submit an affidavit because of his previous habit of disowning allegations against the Election Commission of India (ECI).
“The rationale behind this request is that he has not submitted any self-signed letters in the past. Whenever we respond, the communication goes to another entity, and he consistently disowns it,” stated the sources.
Officials from the ECI also highlighted a previous reference made by Rahul Gandhi concerning an issue in Maharashtra on December 24, 2024. “An advocate from AICC contacted us, and we provided a comprehensive response on December 24, 2024. This response is publicly available on our website. Yet, Rahul Gandhi continues to assert that we did not reply. Even on the previous day, he reiterated this allegation,” the sources elucidated.
Furthermore, ECI sources noted that on August 7, the Karnataka government opted to utilize the electoral roll as a foundation for the caste survey. Ironically, on that same day, Rahul Gandhi criticized the integrity of the electoral rolls.
While the Congress-led Karnataka government endorsed the authenticity of the electoral rolls by basing its crucial policy—the caste census—on them, Rahul Gandhi simultaneously questioned their reliability, as pointed out by ECI sources.
Rahul Gandhi held a press conference in Delhi on Thursday where he made serious allegations concerning election fraud, using the Mahadevapura Assembly segment in Bengaluru as an example.
During a substantial protest in Bengaluru, the Congress leader reiterated his demands for ten years' worth of data regarding voters and video evidence. “If not, you are concealing a crime. If you (ECI) undermine the 'One Man One Vote' principle, we will retaliate,” warned Rahul Gandhi.