Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asserted on Saturday that the ongoing 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar is poised to evolve into a nationwide movement against the alleged manipulation and theft of votes. Addressing a rally in Ara, he warned that Dalits, minorities, and women will be protected from attempts to undermine their constitutional right to vote.
Gandhi criticised the central government over the special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, describing it as "an attack on the Constitution and the democratic system of the country." Holding a copy of the Constitution aloft, he accused the ruling BJP of stripping people of their voting rights.
"The 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' that started from Bihar will become a country-wide movement against the stealing of votes of people," he said. He charged the BJP, the RSS, and the Election Commission of "indulging in 'vote chori' (stealing of votes) in the country."
Gandhi also alleged that the NDA government succeeded in manipulating votes in Maharashtra and other regions, but promised vigilance to prevent any such attempts in Bihar. "Voting is the right of Dalits, minorities and women, but the Narendra Modi government steals votes to win polls," he claimed.
Also read: Rahul Gandhi, allies to wrap up Bihar yatra with march on Sept 1
The third leg of the yatra concluded on Saturday in Ara. Launched from Sasaram on August 17, the march is scheduled to end on September 1 with a major procession in Patna after covering at least 25 of Bihar’s 38 districts.
Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera, speaking from Motihari on August 28, described the yatra as akin to a "religious pilgrimage" attended by people of all faiths. He said the procession from Gandhi Maidan to Babasaheb Ambedkar's statue would mark the beginning of a broader journey to safeguard India’s democracy.
Gandhi expressed satisfaction over the large turnout and shared a video of the packed canopy at the Ara rally, highlighting the enthusiastic participation of allies including Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD, Dipankar Bhattacharya of the CPI-ML Liberation, and Mukesh Sahni of the Vikassheel Insan Party.
Meanwhile, state BJP leaders staged a 'Maun Dharna' (silent demonstration) in Patna to protest alleged abuses hurled at Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Gandhi's yatra in Darbhanga a few days ago.
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