Rahul Gandhi vows to fight ‘vote chori’ in Goa

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday yet again accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of undermining the Constitution through alleged "vote chori", declaring that the party would not accept what he described as an attack on democratic principles.

He asserted that the Congress would hold those responsible accountable and ensure justice.

“By stealing votes, they have attacked the Constitution—they have attacked our sacred duty—and we will not accept this,” the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha said while addressing Congress workers in Margao, South Goa, during the party’s ‘Goy Rakhon Yatra’.

"Sooner or later, the Congress party will ensure justice is served. ...Because we are the guardians of the Constitution; we are its protectors. When these individuals stole votes and assaulted the Constitution, they also attacked our faith. We refuse to accept this," he further said.

Gandhi, who walked around two km alongside Congress leaders and party workers during the event, alleged that Kumar was implementing “vote chori” and continued to claim that PM Modi and Shah were backing him.

The Congress leader also referred to the more than 45 defamation cases he said he was facing, including cases filed by the prime minister and Shah. He questioned why no case had been filed specifically over his allegations that votes were being stolen.

"Gyanesh Kumar implements the theft of votes, Amit Shah operationalizes it, and Narendra Modi orchestrates the entire plan from behind the scenes. I am facing over 45 defamation cases—cases filed by Amit Shah, by Narendra Modi, and so on," he said.

The Congress leader argued that a legal challenge focused on those allegations could lead to a wider legal process.

"Despite these 45 cases, I continue to state at every opportunity that Narendra Modi steals votes. Yet, no case has been filed against me specifically for this claim. Do you know why? Because they fear that if a case were filed—a case specifically regarding the theft of votes—it would trigger a full-blown legal process in which they themselves would become entangled," he added.

"PM Modi, Amit Shah and CEC Gyanesh Kumar will face justice and pay the price for what they have done," he said.

He also criticised the state of education and the treatment of students, saying India once had a world-class education system but that pellet guns were now being used against student protesters. "We used to have a world-class education system earlier, but now pellet guns being used against student protesters.

Turning to state politics, Gandhi alleged that corruption in Goa was widespread.

“There is extreme corruption here; in fact, Goa might well be the most corrupt state in the entire country,” he said, according to ANI, describing the state as a “model” for corruption.

Rahul Gandhi’s remarks come as confrontation between the Congress-led Opposition and the Election Commission continues over alleged electoral irregularities and revisions to voter lists.

Earlier this month, INDIA bloc leaders, including Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, met President Droupadi Murmu and sought action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged “vote chori”.

Gandhi later said the President had sought evidence to substantiate the allegations. The Opposition has also demanded Kumar’s resignation over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, while the BJP have disputed the Opposition’s claims.