New Delhi [India], August 13 : Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) President of Delhi unit, Saurabh Bharadwaj, on Wednesday targeted the Election Commission of India, accusing it of behaving like "Ulta Chor Kotwal Ko Daate," a Hindi phrase implying that the accused is shifting the blame to the accuser.
His remarks came after RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav alleged that the Election Commission is working with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to manipulate the voter list in Bihar by issuing two Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers to its leaders and workers.
Speaking to ANI, the AAP leader said, "The way the Election Commission is behaving right now is like 'the thief scolding the policeman.' Those who until now thought that the Election Commission was impartial, now feel that their behaviour is as if they are the youth wing of some political party. We, Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi, have written several letters to the Election Commission with complaints, but what did the Election Commission do? Why was no action taken..."
Earlier today, Tejashwi Yadav alleged that the ECI is working with the Bharatiya Janata Party to manipulate the voter list in Bihar by issuing two Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers to its leaders and workers.
Speaking at a press conference in Patna, Yadav stated, "Before we had talked about Bihar's deputy chief minister Vijay Sinha. Now you call it a crime, mistake, or an expose, we had said it before too, but today I want to tell you that EC is helping the BJP, and cutting the votes of the Opposition. The people of the BJP are being given not one, but two EPIC numbers for themselves, in one Vidhan Sabha only."
"We are exposing one more thing. Muzzafapur's mayor, a BJP leader, named Nirmala Devi, she has two EPIC IDs in the same vidhan sabha. In that, too, they are different. Not only this, but Nirmala Devi has two brother-in-laws, they also have two EPIC numbers," he added.
The RJD leader further alleged that names of people from other states were being added to Bihar's voter list during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) ahead of the assembly elections.
"Now the people of Gujarat are becoming voters of Bihar. Bhikhubhai Dalsaniya, who is in charge of the BJP, has become a voter of Patna. He cast his last vote in Gujarat in 2024, but he is still a voter of Patna. He had his name deleted in Gujarat, but it's worth noting that it hasn't been five years, and you started changing places and voting. When the Bihar elections are over, then where will he go after getting his name deleted?" Yadav alleged.
He claimed that in earlier elections, the BJP used agencies such as the CBI, ED and Income Tax department against the Opposition, but when those methods became less effective, the Election Commission was "brought forward." He also alleged that "vote chori" took place in the 2020 Bihar elections.