Did Cong Lay the Groundwork for Electoral Corruption in India?

New Delhi, Aug 13 (NationPress) BJP MP Anurag Thakur fiercely criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his ongoing allegations against the Election Commission of India (ECI) and its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) initiative in Bihar. He presented numerous historical examples to challenge Gandhi’s assertions.

During a press briefing at the party headquarters, Thakur dismissed the accusations of 'vote theft' and electoral irregularities as unfounded and politically driven, claiming that the Congress is trying to undermine democratic institutions due to their repeated electoral losses.

“If anyone holds the record for losing elections 90 times under a single leadership, it is Rahul Gandhi. Within the Congress Party itself, there are doubts regarding his ability to lead. When faced with defeat, he blames the EVMs, the Election Commission, and sometimes even the voters,” Thakur remarked, branding Rahul’s claims as part of a systematic misinformation effort.

Thakur contended that the Congress Party has been the architect of electoral corruption in India. He referred to past events, stating that Congress and CPI conspired to defeat Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the Constitution's architect, in the inaugural general election of 1952. “They engaged in a 'vote theft operation' during that time. Dr. Ambedkar, a revered figure, lost by a mere 14,561 votes, marking the beginning of Congress’s erosion of electoral integrity,” he said.

He elaborated that Congress introduced booth capturing in 1957 and orchestrated extensive rigging in 1987 in collusion with the National Conference (NC). He also highlighted the 1975 verdict by Justice Sinha, which found Indira Gandhi guilty of two electoral misconducts, revealing the exploitation of government resources for political advantage.

“Indira Gandhi once referred to voters as a ‘bunch of fools’ after losing elections. This reflects the party's attitude in the face of defeat,” Thakur commented.

Regarding Rahul Gandhi’s statement about a significant increase in voters after 5 p.m. during the Maharashtra elections, Thakur described it as ‘misleading and deceptive’.

On the Special Summary Revisions (SIR) in Bihar, Thakur stated, “The Election Commission has been executing SIR and addressing public grievances in Bihar, with no reported issues. Yet, Congress, instead of collaborating, resorts to false allegations, insulting the voters of this nation,” he asserted.

Addressing Rahul Gandhi’s reluctance to provide evidence for his claims regarding voter roll discrepancies, Thakur questioned, “What are you afraid of, Rahul ji? You fail to submit affidavits, do not present any proof, and evade after making unsubstantiated allegations. This has become your pattern, creating chaos during elections. You've even declined to engage with constitutional bodies despite numerous requests.”

Thakur further remarked that Congress aims to sow doubt about India’s electoral system because voters have consistently rejected them, and this recent smear campaign is merely a facade for their political inadequacies.