Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of implementing alleged vote theft, claiming that “Union Home Minister Amit Shah operationalised it and Prime Minister Narendra Modi orchestrated the plan.”
CEC Gyanesh Kumar implements ‘vote chori’: Rahul Gandhi
Addressing a public meeting in Goa’s Margao after joining the Congress’ ‘Goy Rakhon Yatra’, said, “Gyanesh Kumar implements the theft of votes, Amit Shah operationalises it, and Narendra Modi orchestrates the entire plan from behind the scenes.”
He referred to the more than 45 defamation cases filed against him, claiming that despite repeated accusations of stealing votes, no case had been filed specifically over that allegation because those he accused were apprehensive that a legal challenge over his allegations of vote theft could lead to a prolonged legal battle.
“Let me tell you something interesting: there are over 45 defamation cases filed against me, cases involving Amit Shah, Modi ji, and others. That’s 45 cases in total. Yet, from every stage, I state that Narendra Modi steals votes, and no case is ever filed against me for saying that. Do you know why? Because they fear that if they were to file a case specifically regarding the theft of votes, it would turn into a full-blown legal battle, and they would end up getting entangled in it,” the Congress MP said.
Will pay price for ‘vote chori’: Rahul Gandhi
The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said the Congress considered itself a guardian of the Constitution and would not accept what he described as an attack on the constitutional framework through alleged vote theft. He further said that Congress will face justice served and they will pay the price for ‘vote chori’.
“Sooner or later, the Congress party will ensure justice is served. Because we are the guardians of the Constitution; we are its protectors. When these individuals stole votes and assaulted the Constitution, they also attacked our faith. We refuse to accept this. Listen carefully, all Congress workers: Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and Gyanesh Kumar will face justice and will pay the price for what they have done,” said Rahul Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi also criticised the state government over corruption, describing Goa as potentially the most corrupt state in the country and accusing those in power of turning it into a model of corruption. “There is extreme corruption here; in fact, Goa might well be the most corrupt state in the entire country. These people have turned Goa into a ‘model’ for corruption,” he said.
He further alleged that India’s education system had deteriorated, claiming that pellet guns were now being used against student protesters, unlike the country’s earlier reputation for having a world-class education system.
Rahul Gandhi takes part in Goa Cong’s ‘Goy Rakhon Yatra’
During the ‘Goy Rakhon Yatra’, Gandhi walked around two kilometres alongside Congress workers and leaders in Margao. The Congress MP, who arrived at Dabolim airport in the afternoon to take part in the mass outreach programme, will later address a public gathering at Margao Cricket Club (MCC) ground.
He was joined in the yatra by AICC Goa desk in-charge Manikrao Thakare, co-in-charge Dr Anjali Nimbalkar, Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, Goa Pradesh Congress committee president Girish Chodankar, among others.
The 27-day ‘Goy Rakhon Yatra’, led by Alemao and Chodankar, began on September 22 and concluded on Sunday after covering all 40 Assembly constituencies in Goa.
The Congress said the yatra, whose name translates to a campaign to protect Goa, aimed to safeguard the state’s land, environment, cultural heritage and identity while strengthening the party’s grassroots presence ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
During the campaign, the party highlighted concerns over land conversion, alleged land grabbing, unemployment, corruption, public safety and the preservation of Goa’s distinctive social and cultural identity.
The yatra also sought to engage local communities and bring their development-related concerns into the political debate.
With the Assembly elections approaching in 2027, the Congress is looking to consolidate its grassroots network and mobilise support across the state, including in constituencies represented by the ruling BJP.