Should Rahul Gandhi Apologize for Allegations of Vote Theft in Bihar Elections?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Demand for Apology: The BJP insists on Rahul Gandhi's apology for allegations undermining electoral integrity.
- Election Fairness: The Bihar elections are claimed to be conducted fairly, according to BJP statements.
- Public Trust: Continuous allegations against electoral bodies could erode public confidence.
- Supreme Court Support: The Supreme Court has affirmed the reliability of EVMs and VVPATs.
- Political Accountability: Responsible political discourse is crucial in a democracy.
Chennai, Dec 7 (NationPress) The Tamil Nadu branch of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called for a public and parliamentary apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over allegations deemed "unfounded and damaging" regarding vote theft and institutional bias during the Bihar Assembly elections.
In a statement released by A.N.S. Prasad, spokesperson for the Tamil Nadu BJP, the party accused Rahul Gandhi and the Congress leadership of attempting to erode public trust in India’s democratic institutions by continuously asserting claims of "vote chori," EVM tampering, and biased conduct by the Election Commission of India (ECI) following the Bihar results.
The BJP stated that recent revelations made in Parliament definitively demonstrated that the Bihar elections were held in a free and fair manner, effectively disproving the opposition’s assertions.
The official government statement indicated that no requests for re-polling or recounts were made across any of the 243 constituencies. Additionally, verification through VVPAT in 1,215 polling stations—five from each constituency—showed a 100% match with EVM results, without any reported discrepancies.
The statement further noted the absence of complaints regarding large-scale irregularities, booth capturing, or systematic voter suppression throughout the state, labeling the Congress narrative as "entirely fabricated and misleading."
The BJP reminded that Rahul Gandhi had conducted multiple press conferences post-Bihar verdict, suggesting that the elections were "unfair from the start" and raising issues like CCTV failures and voter deletions.
“All these allegations crumbled under the examination of the ECI and the judicial system,” the party contended.
Referencing previous rulings, the party highlighted that the Supreme Court of India has consistently affirmed the integrity and reliability of the EVM-VVPAT system, dismissing demands for complete verification as unnecessary due to existing robust safeguards.
“In a mature democracy, dissent cannot serve as a justification for persistent falsehoods against constitutional bodies,” the BJP statement emphasized.
It cautioned that repeated attacks on the credibility of electoral authorities could jeopardize public trust and societal stability. The party insisted that Rahul Gandhi must issue an unconditional apology in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing Winter Session and formally retract all allegations against the Election Commission concerning the 2025 Bihar elections. The BJP warned that neglecting this demand would leave an enduring stain on his political legacy.