India’s Poll Process Under Fire: Rahul Gandhi Raises Vote Rigging Claims in Berlin

Rahul Gandhi Accuses BJP of ‘Weaponising’ Institutions, Alleges Vote Theft in Berlin.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi escalated his criticism of the BJP while addressing a gathering at Berlin’s Hertie School, accusing the ruling party of capturing India’s institutional framework and using bodies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and CBI to target political opponents.

“There is a full-scale assault on the institutional framework of our country. Our intelligence agencies, ED, and CBI have been weaponised. They have zero cases against the BJP, while most political cases target opposition leaders,” Gandhi said.

The former Congress president claimed that businessmen supporting his party face threats, and that India’s institutions are no longer functioning impartially. He stressed that while the Congress helped build these institutions as national assets, the BJP sees them as tools for political power.

Allegations of Vote Theft

Gandhi renewed his allegations of vote rigging in the 2024 Haryana Assembly elections, asserting that the party had evidence of victory and had flagged irregularities, including duplicate voter entries, to the Election Commission with no response.

“We fundamentally believe there is a problem with the electoral machinery in India,” he said, linking this to broader concerns about democracy under attack.

Clash of Visions

He also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s economic model, claiming it extends previous policies without offering a new direction and risks creating social tensions.

“This is a clash between two visions in India. We think the BJP’s approach will fail and generate divisions among people,” Gandhi said.

BJP Response

The BJP strongly rejected Gandhi’s remarks. National spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari called him anti-India and accused him of fostering chaos abroad with “ideological patron George Soros.” BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje described him as childish and questioned his motives for criticizing India overseas.