‘Hydrogen bomb’ incoming? Rahul Gandhi to hold special presser on Sept 18; ‘vote chori’ row set to intensify
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will hold a “special press briefing” on Thursday, days after he hinted of dropping a “hydrogen bomb” on the alleged voter theft charges. In a social media post on X, Congress leader Pawan Khera sent out invitation saying, “Tomorrow, 18 September, Special Press Briefing by the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Shri Rahul Gandhi at 10 am Indira Bhawan Auditorium. Media is requested to be seated by 9.30 am.” This comes after Rahul had warned Bharatiya Janata Party of a new expose on alleged “vote chori” claims, claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not be able to “show his face to people after we bring hydrogen bomb of ‘vote chori’.””I want to tell the BJP people. Have you heard of anything bigger than an atom bomb, it is a hydrogen bomb. BJP people, be ready, a hydrogen bomb is coming. People are soon going to find out the reality of vote chori,” he said. “In the coming time, I am guaranteeing you that after the hydrogen bomb (comes), Narendra Modi ji will not be able to show his face to the country,” he added. Earlier, Rahul had unveiled what he had described as an “atom bomb” of evidence against the Election Commission. On August 7, citing data from the Mahadevapura assembly segment, which falls under the Bengaluru Central parliamentary constituency in Congress-ruled Karnataka, he accused the poll body of “colluding” with the BJP. Rahul said the Congress had analysed the Mahadevapura electoral rolls over six months and found that out of 1,00,250 alleged bogus voters, 40,009 had “fake and invalid addresses” and 10,452 were “bulk voters” registered at common addresses. Examples included entries with “0” in the address field, non-existent locations, and addresses that could not be verified. Rahul also accused the EC of colluding with the BJP to “destroy Indian democracy and steal elections,” and argued that if the EC does not provide electronic voter data of 10–15 years and CCTV footage, then it is “partaking in crime,” since these are now “evidence of crime.” He urged the judiciary to intervene to save Indian democracy. Citing the study, Rahul claimed the BJP won Bangalore Central by 32,707 votes while 1,00,250 fake votes were polled in its favor. He said the fake votes fell into five categories: duplicate voters (11,965), fake/invalid addresses (40,009), bulk voters at a single address (10,452), invalid photos of voters (4,132), and “misuse of Form 6” for first-time voters (33,692). Showing files, he cited examples to argue that people had voted multiple times in different booths of the seat, while voter list addresses included “Street 0” and “House no. 0.” He said there were cases where as many as 80 voters were shown at one address, or 50 in a single one-bedroom house, and that attempts to cross-check resulted in either researchers being beaten up or confirmation that the voters did not live there. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
After US visa order, Rahul Gandhi calls Modi ‘weak PM’
NEW DELHI: With the US imposing one lakh dollar fee on H-1B visas, Congress neta Rahul Gandhi called Narendra Modi a “weak Prime Minister”, exhuming a 2017 tweet in which he had used the same epithet on the issue concerning the US visas for highly skilled workers. Taking potshots at Trump’s recent phone call to wish Modi on his birthday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “Indians are pained by the return gifts you have received after the birthday call” – listing the gifts from “Abki Baar, Trump Sarkar” Govt as $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visas, 50% tariff, HIRE Act targeting Indian outsourcing, lifting of waiver for Chabahar port, and exhorting the EU to impose 100% tariff on Indian goods. Congress lamented Modi’s “strategic silences” and “loud optics” have become liability for the country, adding that bear hugs, hollow slogans, concerts, getting people to chant ‘Modi, Modi’, and superficial bravado is not foreign policy. Posting a news report that said India has 71% of H-IB visas and would be hit the hardest by the levying of steep US fees, Rahul posted on X, “I repeat, India has a weak PM.” In the same message, he reposted his 2017 tweet when he had reacted to Modi not raising the visa issue with President Donald Trump with the remark, “India has a weak PM”. In fact, Rahul’s 2017 tweet, highlighting the repetition of the H-1B issue with the US under the same India PM and US President, became the Congress handle to attack the Modi govt. AICC spokesman Pawan Khera said “8 years later, Rahul Gandhi is vindicated yet again. He called it out back in 2017 and nothing has changed. India is still stuck with a weak PM.” Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Grand Alliance to contest polls after naming CM face: Tejashwi
Patna: RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav on Saturday said the Grand Alliance would not contest the forthcoming state assembly polls without declaring a chief ministerial candidate. A section of leaders in ally Congress remains hesitant to endorse him as the CM face. “Are we the BJP that we do not have leaders for the post of the chief minister? We will contest the assembly elections only after projecting a leader as the chief ministerial face,” Tejashwi told reporters in response to questions about the Grand Alliance’s leadership in Bihar. On Saturday, Tejashwi returned to Patna after covering 11 districts during his ‘Bihar Adhikar Yatra,’ launched from Jehanabad on Sept 16 to highlight unemployment, rising crime and other issues ahead of the assembly elections. The yatra concluded in Vaishali district. His solo campaign came soon after the high-profile ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra,’ which featured all Mahagathbandhan leaders and was led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Although Tejashwi participated, the spotlight largely fell on Rahul, who has been spearheading a national campaign against alleged vote theft and accusing the Election Commission of favouring the BJP. The RJD clarified that Tejashwi’s yatra was designed to cover only those districts not included in the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra.’ Yet, its timing, amid ongoing debate over the opposition’s CM face and unresolved seat-sharing talks, has fuelled speculation about whether Tejashwi has additional political objectives in mind. Recently, at a rally in Muzaffarpur, he startled many by saying, “And this time, Tejashwi will contest all 243 seats, whether it is Muzaffarpur, Kanti or Bochahan.” Observers interpreted the remarks as an attempt to underline his authority as the opposition alliance’s undisputed leader. Later, he clarified there was “no confusion” regarding the CM face and that the name would be announced at the “right time.” Tejashwi’s insistence on an early declaration stems from the RJD’s strength within the alliance. In the last assembly polls, it secured 75 seats, the highest tally and one more than the BJP. However, the Congress has so far refused to formally back him as the CM candidate. During the ‘Voter Adhikaar Yatra,’ Rahul Gandhi sidestepped direct questions on the matter, merely emphasising the “good understanding” among partners. This, despite Tejashwi previously declaring that Rahul would become PM once the opposition secured victory in the next Lok Sabha elections. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Cong launches signature campaign against ‘vote stealing’
Udupi: Congress MLC Ivan D’Souza said that the ‘Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod’ campaign launched by opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi has evoked a huge response from the people. He told reporters that a signature campaign to support the initiative will be launched in Udupi district. He said 100 signatures will be collected from each of the 1,111 booths in Udupi district, with a target to achieve 1,11,100 signatures during the campaign. The campaign, which has already commenced, will continue for 15 days, he said, criticising the BJP. “The BJP came to power by stealing votes. The main aim of this campaign is to send a strong message to draw the attention of the Election Commission. People will be given an opportunity to express their anger,” he said. Despite Rahul Gandhi producing evidence to substantiate his claims, no measures were taken to check the election malpractice, he alleged. He alleged that the stealing of votes takes place continuously. People should participate in the campaign to ensure that the central govt and Election Commission respond and investigate the matter. “The govt not accepting criticisms and suggestions of the people is a threat to democracy. Those who were elected and secured power through election malpractices should be sent out of power,” he added. Udupi District Congress Committee president Ashok Kumar Kodavoor, former minister K Jayaprakash Hegde, and former MLA Gopal Poojary were present. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
‘Meant to emphasise shared history’: Congress Sam Pitroda clarifies his ‘felt at home in Pak’ remark, says aim was ‘never to belittle anyone’s suffering’
NEW DELHI: Indian Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda on Friday clarified his remarks about feeling “at home” in Pakistan, saying his comments were intended to highlight “shared history” and people-to-people bonds, not to play down terrorism or geopolitical tensions. In a post on X, Pitroda said, “If my words have caused confusion or hurt, I want to clarify that my aim was never to belittle anyone’s suffering or undermine legitimate concerns – but to foster honest conversation, empathy, and a more grounded and responsible approach to how India sees itself – and is seen – by others.” — sampitroda (@sampitroda) Additionally Pitroda said, “In light of recent discussions, I wish to clarify my remarks and put them in the full context of my IANS/AP7AM interview. My intention has always been to call attention to the realities we face: concerns about the electoral process, the importance of civil society and youth, and India’s role – both in its neighborhood and globally. Likewise, when I challenged the “Vishwaguru” narrative and said that it’s a myth that India is always on everyone’s mind, I was cautioning against overconfidence in image over substance. Foreign policy must be based on real influence, mutual trust, peace, and regional stability – not bravado or optics. “We need to defend democracy: ensuring free, fair elections; strengthening institutions; empowering youth; protecting minority rights; resisting polarization. These are not partisan issues – they go to the heart of what and who we are as a nation. If my words have caused confusion or hurt, I want to clarify that my aim was never to belittle anyone’s suffering or undermine legitimate concerns – but to foster honest conversation, empathy, and a more grounded and responsible approach to how India sees itself – and is seen – by others. Moving forward, I remain committed to transparency, respectful dialogue, and working towards a future where we strengthen institutions, civil society, safety, and security, so our actions truly live up to our ideals,” he added. Pitroda had sparked controversy earlier today with statements advocating a neighbourhood-first policy. He told IANS, “I’ve been to Pakistan, and I must tell you, I felt at home. I’ve been to Bangladesh, I’ve been to Nepal, and I feel at home. I don’t feel like I’m in a foreign country. They look like me, they talk like me, they like my songs, they eat my food. So, I must learn to live with them in peace and harmony. That’s my first priority.” BJP leaders reacted sharply, with national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari calling Pitroda “Pakistan’s favourite” and questioning his proximity to a “terror nation,” especially after the Pahalgam terror attack. Bhandari said, “We all know that Pahalgam terror attack was carried out by Pakistan. Our armed forces gave terror nation Pakistan a befitting reply through Operation Sindoor. I want to ask you people that can any patriot ever say that terror nation Pakistan is like a home… But Rahul Gandhi’s close aide, a person who defines strategies of Rahul Gandhi and Congress, says that terror nation Pakistan is like home for him.” Pitroda, a longtime aide of the Gandhi family and chairman of the Overseas Indian Congress, has frequently been at the centre of controversies. Earlier this year, his comments on China forced the Congress to publicly distance itself. In June 2024, during the Lok Sabha campaign, he stepped down temporarily after remarks on inheritance tax and comparisons of Indians’ physical features with Africans, Arabs, and Chinese drew criticism. He was later reinstated after assuring no repeat of such controversies. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
‘Online voter deletion not possible’: EC refutes Rahul Gandhi’s claim; cites law and due process
NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Friday refuted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s charges, claiming that “no deletion of votes can be done online by any member of the public.” The poll body, in a point-wise statement, said that the no name is deleted from the roll without issuing a notice to the affected person. “No Deletion of any vote can be done online by any member of the public. No wrongful deletion of electors in Aland; an FIR was registered by the authority of ECI itself in 2023 against suspicious attempts of deletions,” it said.”Although the Elector of the constituency can fill Form 7 online to apply for deletion of an entry from that particular constituency, it does not mean that the entry gets automatically deleted merely by submitting the Form 7. As per Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, no name is deleted from the roll without issuing a notice to the affected person and giving him an opportunity of being heard,” it added. It further said that the poll body only accepted 24 applications of deletion and 5,994 incorrect applications were rejected ahead of the assembly election in Aland. It also said a inquiry was conducted & subsequently an FIR was registered by Electoral Registration Officer, Aland “In the case of Aland, Karnataka, 6,018 applications in Form 7 for deletion were submitted online. On verification, only 24 applications were found to be genuine, while 5,994 were found to be incorrect. Accordingly, 24 applications were accepted, and the 5,994 incorrect applications were rejected,” it said. “Suspecting the genuineness of such a large number of applications for deletion, an inquiry was conducted & subsequently an FIR (No. 26/2023, Aland Police Station, dated 21.02.2023) was registered,” it added. This comes a day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reiterated his “vote chori” allegations and took a swipe at the Election Commission, calling it an “election watchman” who “stayed awake, watched the theft, and protected the thieves”. Rahul Gandhi accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of shielding “vote chors” and systematically deleting Congress supporters’ names from voter rolls. He claimed a centralized software-driven method was being used to impersonate voters and erase names, mainly targeting Dalits, OBCs, Adivasis, minorities, and other opposition-leaning communities. Displaying Aland data, he asserted he had “100% proof” of vote manipulation. “In Aland, Karnataka, 6018 votes, somebody tried to delete these votes. We don’t know the total number of votes deleted in the 2023 elections, but somebody got caught. It was caught, by most crimes, by coincidence. What happened was that the Booth Level officer noticed that her uncle’s vote had been deleted. When she checked, she saw that her neighbour had deleted the vote,” Gandhi said during the press conference. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Amid issues in Congress district unit, Rahul and Sonia Gandhi arrive in Wayanad
Kozhikode: Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi arrived in Wayanad for a two-day visit on Friday. While KPCC leadership described it as a private visit, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, who accompanied the Gandhis from New Delhi, attended a district leadership meeting during the day in a bid to reportedly sort out the issues plaguing the party’s district unit. The DCC leadership meeting, convened on Venugopal’s direction, assumed significance as the Wayanad unit of Congress has been facing factionalism and controversy, particularly in connection with the deaths by suicide of former DCC treasurer N M Vijayan and his son in Dec 2024, followed by the suicide of Jose Nelledam, a grama panchayat member in Mullankolly on Sept 12 this year, and the suicide attempt by Vijayan’s daughter-in-law Padmaja Vijesh last week. The developments had even cast a shadow over Priyanka Gandhi’s week-long tour of the constituency, with CPM questioning why she did not visit Nelledam’s family. At the DCC leadership meeting, which was attended by block level leaders, Venugopal issued a stern warning to district leaders to end infighting and resolve issues immediately. He said the party would closely monitor developments in Wayanad and take strict action against those who fuel disputes. “The incidents in Wayanad were unfortunate. The party will ensure that such situations do not recur. Anyone responsible for creating problems will not be recognized, and the leadership will take the matter seriously,” Venugopal said. According to party sources, a change in the party’s district leadership would likely see N D Appachan replaced as DCC president. Meanwhile, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said that Irikkur MLA Sajeev Joseph and KPCC general secretary Jameela Alipatta have been assigned to hold discussions and resolve the issues in Mullankolly. Both have been directed to complete necessary discussions within two days and submit recommendations for a solution, after which appropriate organizational steps will be taken. He said the party would address the financial liabilities of Vijayan and the Sultan Bathery Urban Bank. Rahul and Sonia Gandhi landed at Calicut International Airport at 10am and reached Wayanad by helicopter. Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi, who has been in the constituency since Sept 11, received them at the Padinjarathara helipad. They later moved to a resort near Banasura Islands. Sonia and Priyanka Gandhi visited Regional Coffee Research Station, where they met coffee farmers and officials. They also visited MS Swaminathan Research Foundation’s (MSSRF) Community Agrobiodiversity Centre (CAbC) at Puthurvayal. They interacted with foundation chairperson Soumya Swaminathan over video conferencing. Meanwhile, Priyanka raked up the vote theft issue in a video message. “I urge all of you to join our vote chori (vote theft) signature campaign. Just as every vote counts, every signature counts. Every one of you standing up for democracy, standing up for the constitutional values counts,” she said. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
EC rejects charges, cites action it took for Karnataka seat
NEW DELHI: EC rejected Rahul Gandhi’s allegations regarding deletion of electors in Aland in 2023, saying that it had on its own authority filed an FIR at the time against “certain unsuccessful attempts” at deletions, after which the Karnataka chief electoral officer shared all relevant information pertaining to the case with the state police. The Karnataka CEO posted on X that all information available with EC was handed over to Kalaburagi, SP on Sept 6, 2023 itself. The shared information included the objector’s name, EPIC number and mobile number used for login, Form 7 reference number, mobile number provided by the objector for processing software application medium, IP address, applicant’s place, form submission date and time, and user creation date. “Basically, the information that Rahul has asked EC to provide in a week was shared by the Karnataka CEO with the state CID two years ago,” said an EC functionary, while contrasting this with Rahul refusing to submit a signed affidavit in support of his allegations regarding roll irregularities in Mahadevapura, for which CEC Gyanesh Kumar had set him a similar deadline. As regards Rahul’s allegations regarding addition of fake voters in Maharashtra’s Rajoura constituency, the electoral registration officer of Rajoura said that between Oct 1 and 17, 2024, the constituency had received 7,592 applications for new voter enrolment. “On scrutiny by booth level officers, 6,861 applications were found invalid. These included fictitious identities, invalid photographs, documents and incorrect addresses. These applications were rejected,” the ERO said, stressing that no fake names were added to the roll. He added that taking cognisance of the irregularities, the district election officer had directed a comprehensive probe and criminal action. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Maha ‘Vote Chori’ In Chandrapur’s Rajura, Says Rahul, questions EC over deletion of 6,800 voters after Cong plea
Nagpur/Chandrapur: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused Election Commission of India (ECI) of ignoring large-scale voter rigging in the Rajura assembly constituency of Chandrapur district during last year’s assembly polls in Maharashtra. Gandhi took cue from the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee’s accusations of manipulation in the Rajura voter list, 10 days ago. In Delhi, Gandhi alleged “over 6,800 fake voters were deleted quietly” after Congress lodged a complaint with ECI, but no accountability followed. In the fiercely fought Rajura contest, Congress district president Subhash Dhote lost to BJP’s Devrao Bhongle by a margin of 3,050 votes. Gandhi claimed the numbers raise questions, with deletions almost doubling the margin of defeat. “This is not a small irregularity, it is a deliberate attempt to tilt the balance,” he claimed. “The Karnataka modus operandi was followed in Rajura. In the last presentation, I explained how the system operates. You will see the name of voters as YUH and address as ‘JW’, which is just copy and paste. The same system was also used in elections in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar, Karnataka and Maharashtra,” he added. Hours after Gandhi’s diatribe, the electoral registration officer (ERO) of Rajura clarified that prompt administrative action had prevented bogus voter registrations from entering rolls. Between October 1-17, 2024, the constituency received 7,592 applications for new voter enrolment. “On scrutiny by booth level officers, 6,861 applications were found invalid. These included fictitious identities, invalid photographs, documents and incorrect addresses. These applications were rejected,” the ERO said, ensuring no fake names were added to the rolls. He added that taking cognisance of irregularities, the district election officer directed a comprehensive probe and criminal action under Representation of the People Act, 1950, and Information Technology Act, 2000. On September 9, Congress chief spokesperson Atul Londhe and Dhote had made similar allegations against the ECI in Mumbai. Both claimed large-scale voter manipulation in Rajura was comparable to the Mahadevapura case in Karnataka during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which Gandhi had earlier highlighted. “In just five months between the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, Rajura’s voter count jumped by 55,000,” they said. “Between October 1-15, 2024, over 11,600 bogus voters were registered online. Following our complaint, 6,861 entries were deleted, and an FIR was lodged.” According to them, despite an FIR lodged nearly 11 months ago, officials are yet to investigate the matter, prompting the party to threaten legal recourse. Both Londhe and Dhote had threatened to move court if ECI failed to take remedial steps. They also accused BJP of colluding with EC to manipulate voter registrations. “Still, authorities have not provided access to IP addresses, email IDs, or mobile numbers linked to these fake registrations,” both had said. The duo accused police and administration of withholding this information, preventing identification of the perpetrators. They also pointed out that the victorious BJP candidate was caught with materials, including Rs 61 lakh in cash and election equipment, were seized by EC’s team, and an FIR was registered at Gadchandur police station, but no further action was taken. BJP MLA Bhongale, however, refuted the charges, stating there is a natural rise in the number of voters between Lok Sabha and assembly elections due to Election Commission’s special registration drive. “In Rajura, thousands of new voters were added, which is in line with the trend in other constituencies. It was BJP that first raised concerns about the sudden spike in voter numbers here. Following our complaint, a detailed investigation was conducted, and 6,861 bogus voters were struck off the rolls. I demand a thorough probe,” he said. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
‘Will prevent vote chori’: Rahul Gandhi’s shoutout to Gen Z; BJP hits back, asks why wouldn’t they drive you out?
NEW DELHI: Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s shoutout to Gen Z to “stop vote theft” sparked a sharp retort from the BJP, with Nishikant Dubey quipping: “They are against corruption, why wouldn’t they drive you out?” The comments came in after Nepal Gen Z protest toppled the “corrupt” government and elected its first woman chief as its interim prime minister, and that too on gaming app Discord. After his presser claiming deletion of voters from Karnataka’s Aland constituency, Rahul said in a post on X, “The youth of the nation The students of the nation The Gen Z of the nation Will protect the Constitution, defend democracy, and prevent vote theft. I will always stand with them. Hail India!” Reacting to this, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey claimed that the Gen Z wants “an Islamic state in Bangladesh and a Hindu state in Nepal, why wouldn’t they make India a Hindu state?” “Gen Z is against family rule. Why would they tolerate Rahul Ji after Nehru Ji, Indira Ji, Rajiv Ji, Sonia Ji? They are against corruption, why wouldn’t they drive you out? They want an Islamic state in Bangladesh and a Hindu state in Nepal, why wouldn’t they make India a Hindu state? Get ready to leave the country, they are coming,” he said. — nishikant_dubey (@nishikant_dubey) Rahul’s comments drew reaction from Janata Dal United leader Neeraj Kumar too, who said that India was a “democracy” unlike “Bangladesh, Nepal,” adding that “our people do not accept dictatorial ideas.” “In countries like Nepal, where politics is driven by religion, such problems have to be dealt with differently. But India is a democracy, it is neither Bangladesh nor Nepal; our people do not accept dictatorial ideas. If one is comparing India with Nepal, they should consider India’s economic strength and the resilience of our people,” he said. — PTI_News (@PTI_News) Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights