All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary G.A. Mir announced today that the Congress Party plans to collect 5 crore signatures across India to petition the President of India concerning alleged ‘Vote Chori’ and electoral irregularities. This ambitious initiative began from September 15 and will continue until October 15, aiming to raise awareness against electoral malpractices.
During the inauguration of the signature drive in Omoh, Verinag, South Kashmir, Mir informed reporters that this campaign has successfully enhanced the public’s awareness regarding their voting rights. He emphasized that this effort marks a significant stride towards educating citizens about the integrity of their electoral participation.
Mir condemned what he termed the systematic theft of votes, purportedly orchestrated through collusion between the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the ruling BJP. He claimed that approximately 65 lakh votes have been deleted in Bihar, equating this manipulation to a “murder of democracy.”
“We are aiming for 5 crore signatures to present the petition to the President. Our campaign has made people aware of the importance of their vote and sensitized them to the protection of electoral rights — a first since Independence,” Mir stated.
Mir asserted that electoral fraud extends beyond Bihar, mentioning instances where citizens face obstacles in accessing polling booths. He stated, “Vote Chori is a crime, a blot on democracy, and a direct assault on the electoral rights of people.”
He also highlighted how Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has continuously exposed the manipulation in the electoral process, pointing out specific cases of deletion of genuine voters and registration of fake votes in states like Maharashtra and Karnataka, and most recently, Bihar under SIR.
The Congress Party, led by Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, maintains that it will persist in its efforts to combat what they describe as the ‘ECI-BJP nexus’ that undermines voter identity and electoral rights. Mir passionately expressed through social media, “Powerful start to the Signature Campaign against ‘Vote Chori’ today in Doru Constituency, Anantnag! Hundreds of committed workers joined from my own polling booth to safeguard our democracy. Every signature counts! We won’t let our voices be stolen.”
MLA Nizam Ud Din Bhat, addressing the gathering, praised the campaign as an “indigenous people’s movement” initiated by Rahul Gandhi aimed at defending democracy and voter rights. His remarks underscored the party’s viewpoint that protecting electoral integrity is a collective responsibility.
As the Congress gears up for this signature campaign, it looks to galvanize public support against electoral irregularities. With elections approaching, the momentum of this campaign may play a pivotal role in shaping the political landscape across the country.
