Is the Government Attempting to 'Steal' the Bihar Elections as Rahul Gandhi Claims?

Patna, July 9 (NationPress) Following the allegations made by the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, regarding the Centre and Election Commission's supposed efforts to steal the Bihar Assembly elections through voter list adjustments, Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary responded, branding the protest as mere 'drama.'

"Figures like Rahul Gandhi visit Bihar for leisure. He is disconnected from the state's challenges and progress. His visits are mere theatrics. If he genuinely wants to witness development, he should at least observe the conditions at Patna’s airport," Choudhary remarked during a media interaction in Patna on Wednesday.

LoP Gandhi was present in Patna to spearhead the Chakka Jam Protest March, which commenced from the Income Tax roundabout and proceeded to the Election Commission’s office via Veer Chand Patel Path.

A significant confrontation unfolded between the INDIA bloc supporters and the Patna Police near the R-Block roundabout.

Senior BJP leader and national spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain also criticized the protest, deeming it a complete failure.

"This protest consists of unruly individuals who obstructed school buses, halted ambulances, and even occupied railway tracks. The citizens of Bihar did not lend their support. Only followers of RJD, Congress, and Pappu Yadav took to the streets," Hussain stated.

JD(U) MLC and spokesperson Neeraj Kumar ridiculed LoP Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav for dubbing their actions as a 'Chakka Jam' while traveling in an extravagantly decorated vehicle.

"They trivialized the protest by riding on a ‘Rath’. What sort of 'Chakka Jam' is this? Innocent schoolchildren were kept indoors because of their antics. The general populace did not join in. This is simply a performance by the INDIA bloc leaders," Kumar asserted.

The demonstration, led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, and other alliance partners, aimed to stop the ongoing voter list verification process, which the Opposition fears is intended to disenfranchise voters from marginalized communities.

The Opposition has voiced concerns about the process mandating 78 million voters to prove they are legitimate citizens within a few weeks.

According to the Congress, in a state like Bihar, where poverty and low educational levels hinder documentation awareness, nearly 30 million voters will need to provide 11 documents, instead of the commonly available ration cards, Aadhaar cards, or voter IDs, to validate their citizenship.

Earlier in the day, LoP Gandhi launched a scathing critique of the Centre and the Election Commission of India, claiming that the Maharashtra model of “stealing elections” is being replicated in Bihar.

"We have arrived in Bihar, a place where individuals have sacrificed their lives for the Constitution. Our Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to vote. I urge the people of India and Bihar to recognize that just as the Maharashtra elections were pilfered, there is now a concerted effort to pilfer the Bihar elections," LoP Gandhi declared while addressing a large gathering at the ‘Chakka Jam’ protest in Patna against the voter list revision.

LoP Gandhi asserted that the BJP and Election Commission have realized that the Opposition has uncovered the Maharashtra model.

"They have become aware that we have comprehended the Maharashtra model, and now they have devised a Bihar model," the Congress MP remarked, further stating, "This is a tactic to deprive the poor of their votes, but they are mistaken if they believe that this is Bihar and its people will allow this to transpire."