New Delhi: Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Sunday sharply escalated his attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission of India (ECI), declaring that a future Congress government would repeal and retrospectively amend laws which he alleged were enacted to shield election commissioners from accountability.

Addressing the party’s ‘Vote Chor Gaddi Chhod’ rally at Ramlila Maidan in the national capital, Gandhi accused the BJP of institutionalising what he termed “vote chori” and alleged complicity by the Election Commission. Speaking before a large gathering of party workers and supporters, he named Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Vivek Joshi and S S Sandhu, issuing a direct warning.

“Remember these names. We will change the law that was brought to protect you, and we will change it retrospectively,” Gandhi said, drawing loud applause from the crowd.

Attack on BJP and Election Commission

Gandhi alleged that vote theft was ingrained in what he described as the BJP’s political DNA and claimed that the Congress stood firmly on the side of satya (truth). According to him, the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) relied on power and manipulation to retain control.

“They have satta (power), and they indulge in vote chori. We stand with truth, and we will remove the Narendra Modi–RSS government from power,” he told party workers, framing the political contest as a moral battle between satya and asatya (untruth).

The Congress leader further alleged that the Election Commission was functioning in favour of the ruling party and had failed to adequately respond to questions raised by the opposition regarding allegedly “stolen” elections.

Reference to Lok Sabha debate and Amit Shah’s response

Gandhi’s remarks come days after a heated exchange in the Lok Sabha during a debate on electoral reforms on December 10. During that debate, Union Home Minister Amit Shah responded to Gandhi’s query on alleged legal “immunity” provided to election officials, including the Chief Election Commissioner.

Shah stated that provisions protecting election officials from legal action for decisions taken during the conduct of elections were already part of the Representation of the People Act (RPA) and had existed for decades. He clarified that the BJP-led government had not expanded or enhanced this immunity, but had only aligned existing provisions with the 2023 amendments to election-related laws.

Despite this clarification, Gandhi reiterated at the rally that the BJP had brought in a new law specifically to protect election commissioners from scrutiny. “This law is to protect you, and we are telling you clearly that we will change it retroactively and take strict action,” he asserted.

Allegations of electoral malpractice

At the rally, Gandhi cited multiple instances of alleged electoral irregularities. He claimed that the Election Commission failed to act on Congress complaints related to elections in Haryana, which he described as “stolen”. He also alleged that during elections in Bihar, the BJP transferred Rs 10,000 to voters without attracting any action from the poll authority.

Continuing his attack, Gandhi said the Congress had collected around six crore signatures from citizens across the country protesting alleged vote theft. He announced that these signatures would be formally submitted to the President of India as part of the party’s campaign.

Later, in a post on X, Gandhi reiterated his accusations, writing, “Theft is in the BJP’s DNA,” and listing what he described as money theft, land theft, institution theft, mandate theft and vote theft.

BJP’s sharp counterattack

The BJP responded strongly to Gandhi’s remarks, accusing the Congress of promoting chaos and political anarchy. The party also reacted to videos circulating on social media that allegedly showed Congress workers chanting slogans targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi condemned the sloganeering and claimed that Congress workers were once again wishing for the Prime Minister’s death. He said such behaviour reflected the Congress’s declining political culture.

Drawing a historical analogy, Trivedi likened the Nehru family’s leadership of the Congress to the Mughal dynasty. He claimed that just as the Mughal empire declined after its sixth ruler, the Congress would be “buried in history” under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, referring to six members of the Nehru family having led the party over the decades.

Ideological clash over truth and power

Responding to recent remarks by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who reportedly suggested that the world recognises power rather than truth, Gandhi countered that India’s civilisational ethos and all major religions place the highest value on truth.

“Our ideology is based on truth. The BJP-RSS ideology is based on untruth and fear,” Gandhi said, urging party workers not to be afraid. “In the end, we will remove Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and the RSS government from power by following the path of truth.”

Senior leaders present at rally

The rally witnessed the presence of senior Congress leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi. Large numbers of party workers gathered at Ramlila Maidan to protest against what the Congress claims is systematic vote theft and institutional bias.

Conclusion

Rahul Gandhi’s remarks mark a significant escalation in the Congress’s confrontation with the BJP and the Election Commission ahead of future electoral battles. By threatening retrospective legal changes and directly naming election commissioners, the Congress leader has signalled an aggressive political strategy centred on alleged electoral integrity issues, setting the stage for sharper political polarisation in the months ahead.