Listen To This Post

Congress’s “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod” Rally at Ramlila Ground, New Delhi

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Sunday endorsed Rahul Gandhi’s allegation that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is no longer acting as a neutral constitutional authority, claiming that recent elections had exposed serious flaws in the electoral process.

Addressing the Congress’s “Vote chor, gaddi chhod” rally at Ramlila Ground in New Delhi, Hooda said elections held in Maharashtra, Haryana and Karnataka had “proved” what Rahul Gandhi had been asserting for months—that the institution entrusted with ensuring free and fair polls had failed in its responsibility.

‘Right to Vote Is Being Manipulated’

“The Constitution gave every citizen the right to vote after Independence. Today, that very right is being manipulated,” Hooda said, alleging large-scale interference in the voting process. He claimed that public confidence in the electoral system was eroding rapidly and that people were openly questioning the credibility of elections.

Questions EVM Credibility, Cites Germany

Referring to growing scepticism over electronic voting machines (EVMs), Hooda said citizens were increasingly demanding a return to a transparent voting mechanism. “Even the common man says, get rid of EVMs,” he remarked, citing Germany as an example where courts, he claimed, had ruled electronic voting systems vulnerable to manipulation and therefore unsuitable for a democratic process.

Nationwide Agitation Warned

Hooda warned that the Congress would not remain silent on the issue and signalled a nationwide movement under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership. “This will not stop here. There will be a movement across the country, led by Rahul Gandhi, to protect the people’s right to vote,” he said. The remarks come amid escalating attacks by Congress on the Election Commission, turning electoral credibility into a central political issue ahead of upcoming state and national contests.