New Delhi [India], August 8 : BJP MP Jagdambika Pal on Friday hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his allegations against the Election Commission of India (ECI), asking him to produce proof of his claims or apologise if he failed to do so.
Speaking to reporters, Pal accused the Congress MP of "defaming" a constitutional body.
"...He is telling a constitutional body that the statements he gave to the media is his statement. You are levelling such serious allegations against a Constitutional body, after such serious allegations, you are not ready to give it in writing or produce proof for the same. So, you are attempting to defame the EC. This 'hit and run' won't work. If he has any proof, he will have to produce the same. Otherwise, he should be ashamed of himself and apologise..." Pal stated.
Earlier in the day, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi also criticised Rahul Gandhi, saying that the Congress leader lectures about the poll body without any logic or basis.
Joshi said that on June 12, the ECI sent a letter to Rahul Gandhi asking him to visit its office and explain the facts related to his allegations. However, the Congress MP had not responded, which Joshi claimed showed his "lack of seriousness."
"They teach us about the Election Commission without any basis and logic... On June 12, the EC sent him a letter to visit their office and explain the facts, but he has not yet done so, as he lacks seriousness. The Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Haryana also asked Rahul Gandhi to submit a signed affidavit to initiate the formal proceeding in this regard; till now, he has not submitted it," Joshi said.
This came in response to a press conference held by Rahul Gandhi on August 7, where he claimed that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections were "choreographed" by the EC to benefit the BJP, which he said appeared "immune to anti-incumbency."
Citing internal analysis, Gandhi said the Congress expected to win 16 seats in Karnataka but ended up with only nine. He said the Congress investigated seven unexpected losses, zeroing in on Mahadevapura, where he alleged vote theft involving 1,00,250 votes.
Presenting Congress's research on voting in the Mahadevapura Assembly in Karnataka, Rahul Gandhi alleged "vote chori" (vote theft) of 1,00,250 votes.
"Our internal polling told us we would win 16 seats in Karnataka; we won nine. We then focused on seven unexpected losses. We focused on Mahadevapur...All data is 2024 data from the Election Commission; the total votes polled in the Lok Sabha were 6.26 lakhs. The BJP won with 6,58,915, securing a margin of 32,707. But then we look at Mahadevapura, where Congress polls 1,15,586 and BJP polls 2,29,632. Congress wins all Vidhan Sabhas but this one," the Congress leader said.
"We found 1,00,250 votes stolen. Stolen in five different ways. Duplicate voters, fake and invalid addresses, and bulk voters in a single address, on a building with 50-60 people living. But when we go there, no record of those people living there. One family living in that house," he said.