Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has strongly challenged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to provide evidence supporting his claims of widespread "vote chori" (vote theft) during the recent elections. Singh's challenge comes after Gandhi asserted that he possesses an "atom bomb" of evidence that would expose the Election Commission of India's (ECI) involvement in rigging the elections in favor of the BJP.
Addressing a gathering in Patna, Bihar, Singh urged Gandhi to "detonate" his so-called "atom bomb" of evidence immediately, emphasizing that the public has a right to know the truth. He also took a dig at Gandhi's past statements, recalling an instance where Gandhi had threatened to cause an "earthquake" in Parliament, but his speech turned out to be a "damp squib". Singh quipped that Gandhi should quickly detonate the "atom bomb," but also ensure he is out of harm's way.
Singh defended the ECI, stating that it is an institution with a long-standing reputation for unquestionable integrity. He emphasized that the ECI is committed to conducting free and fair elections and that Gandhi's "frivolous statements" are unbecoming of a Leader of the Opposition. The ECI has also refuted Gandhi's claims, calling them "baseless and wild allegations".
Furthermore, Singh reminded the audience of the Congress party's history, particularly the Emergency imposed in 1975, which he described as an attempt to "murder democracy". He argued that the Congress party, with its past actions, has "blood on its hands" and should not be making unfounded allegations against the ECI.
Rahul Gandhi has claimed that the Congress party has collected data from an Assembly segment in Karnataka, revealing that approximately 150,000 out of 650,000 votes were "fake". Gandhi stated that the release of this data would send a "shockwave" through the electoral system, likening it to an "atom bomb". He has also announced plans to hold a protest in Bengaluru on August 5 against the alleged incidents of "vote theft". Gandhi has gone so far as to say that the Indian polling system is "already dead" and that the 2024 Lok Sabha election was "rigged".
Rajnath Singh also highlighted the development and progress that Bihar has experienced under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. He noted that Bihar is no longer dismissed as a "basket case" and that even publications like The Economist have acknowledged its transformation. Singh linked Bihar's growth to the broader national trajectory under Prime Minister Modi's administration, suggesting that Eastern states like Bihar have a key role in propelling India to become the world's leading economy within the next 25 years. He pointed out India's leap from the 11th to the 4th largest global economy since 2014.
