A Brazilian model has reacted with disbelief after her image was allegedly used multiple times on Haryana voter ID cards, a claim made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi amid accusations of widespread electoral fraud in the 2024 Haryana Assembly elections. Gandhi alleged that approximately 2.5 million "fake votes" were cast in Haryana, and he cited the instance of a woman whose photograph, identified as that of a Brazilian model named Larissa, appeared 22 times in the state's voter rolls under different names, including "Sweety," "Seema," and "Saraswati".
In a video response, Larissa addressed the situation in Portuguese, humorously stating, "Guys, I'm gonna tell you a joke. It's too horrible! Are we using an old picture of me? My photo is older; I was young. They're using my picture for voting in India, portraying me as Indian to fight each other. Look how crazy!". She also revealed that a reporter had contacted her workplace and reached out via Instagram seeking comments about her supposed involvement in the Indian elections, adding that a friend had sent her another picture related to the situation, which she found "unbelievable" and "bizarre".
Gandhi presented what he called "100 percent proof" of significant irregularities, asserting that one in eight voters in Haryana was fake. He elaborated that his team's investigation uncovered over 500,000 duplicate voter entries, with the same image of the Brazilian model appearing under various names and allegedly used to cast ballots multiple times. Gandhi questioned the Election Commission's inaction despite having software to detect and remove duplicate voters. He also pointed out instances of voters with invalid addresses and alleged that thousands of BJP supporters voted in both Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
The Election Commission, however, has dismissed Gandhi's allegations as "unfounded," stating that no appeals were filed against the state's electoral rolls during the revision process. Officials questioned the role of Congress polling agents, asking why they did not raise objections during the revision of voter lists or at polling stations if they suspected any irregularities. The ECI also pointed out that only 22 election petitions are currently pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Meanwhile, the ruling BJP has strongly refuted Gandhi's claims, calling them "lies born out of frustration". Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini accused Gandhi of spreading falsehoods to divert attention from his party's defeat. BJP's Haryana affairs in-charge, Satish Punia, suggested that Gandhi should focus on strengthening the Congress organization instead of questioning the Election Commission's role.
India TV investigated the origin of the photograph and found that it is a royalty-free stock image available on Unsplash, credited to photographer Matheus Ferrero. The image has been downloaded over 400,000 times and viewed over 5.9 million times on the platform.
The controversy continues to unfold, with both sides presenting conflicting narratives and evidence. The Election Commission maintains the integrity of the electoral process, while the Congress party insists on widespread fraud. The involvement of a Brazilian model's image has added a bizarre twist to the allegations, drawing international attention to the disputed Haryana Assembly elections.
