Bihar: Rahul Gandhi launches Voter Adhikar Yatra, accuses BJP of stealing votes
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the only power the poor have is their vote and even that is being stolen
PATNA: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of undermining the Constitution and resorting to electoral malpractices to secure victories while launching a 16-day “Voter Adhikar Yatra” at Saura airfield ground in Bihar’s Rohtas.
“The BJP employs dubious methods, including voter suppression and manipulation of voter lists through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, to disenfranchise millions. The Constitution is under threat. The only power the poor have is their vote, and even that is being stolen,” the leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said, urging the public to unite against such tactics.
The yatra, participated by prominent leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc leaders, including RJD chief Lalu Prasad, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of opposition in the Bihar assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and Communist Party of India (Marixist-Leninist) Liberation leader Dipankar Bhattacharya,
Aimed at raising public awareness about alleged electoral malpractices and protecting voters’ rights ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, it will cover around 1,300 km across 25 districts and culminate in Patna on September 1.
Addressing the gathering, Rahul Gandhi cited instances of alleged voter fraud, claiming that in Maharashtra, 1 crore new voters were added to benefit the BJP, and in Karnataka, investigations revealed over 1 lakh votes were manipulated in a single constituency. He underlined the need for a caste census and the removal of the 50% reservation cap, promising that a Congress-led government would implement these measures to ensure justice for marginalised communities.
He described the yatra as a “fight to save democracy” and a movement to safeguard constitutional values and urged the people to protect their voting rights. “This is not just an election battle; it’s a struggle to preserve the soul of India,” he said.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, addressing the crowd, echoed Gandhi’s concerns about electoral integrity, accusing the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) of orchestrating voter suppression through the SIR process, which he claimed could disenfranchise 65 lakh voters in Bihar. “We have made sacrifices for democracy, and this yatra will flag off a movement akin to a second freedom struggle,” Lalu said.
He urged supporters to ensure that every eligible voter is registered and protected from exclusion.
Congress chief Kharge accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of failing to address discrepancies in voter data despite having access to all records. “The Commission asks us for affidavits while the data lies with them. This is a deliberate attempt to shield wrongdoers,” he said, reinforcing the need for transparency in electoral processes.
He called the yatra a “historic fight” to protect the democratic rights of ordinary citizens. Kharge also launched a scathing attack on the BJP and RSS, accusing them of distorting India’s history and freedom struggle. He challenged them to name a single individual from the RSS or Hindu Mahasabha who made significant contributions to the country’s fight for independence, asserting that their role was negligible compared to the Congress party’s sacrifices.
Kharge emphasised that the Congress has historically fought for unity and the rights of all citizens, while alleging that the BJP-RSS narrative seeks to undermine the legacy of India’s freedom movement for political gain.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav focused on mobilising youth and marginalised communities, emphasising the yatra’s role in uniting the Opposition against the BJP’s alleged authoritarian tactics. “This is a fight for the poor, the Dalits, and the backward classes whose voices are being silenced. We will not let their votes be stolen,” he said, promising to amplify the concerns of Bihar’s underprivileged through the INDIA alliance.
The launch of the Voter Adhikar Yatra in Sasaram has set the stage for a high-stakes political battle in Bihar, which gears up for the 2025 Assembly elections. By focusing on voter suppression and constitutional threats, the Opposition aims to galvanize its base, particularly among marginalised communities, Dalits, and backward classes, who form a substantial portion of Bihar’s electorate. The yatra’s emphasis on caste census and reservation reforms taps into long-standing demands in the state, potentially consolidating the RJD-Congress vote bank.
