The BJP launched a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday, accusing him of undermining India’s democratic institutions on foreign soil. The criticism came in response to Gandhi’s remarks during a speech to the Indian diaspora in Boston, where he alleged that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is “compromised” and cited irregularities in Maharashtra’s voter data.
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari labeled Gandhi “anti-democracy” and “anti-India,” accusing him of questioning the credibility of Indian democratic systems abroad due to his failure to gain electoral trust at home.
“Rahul Gandhi, who could not win the trust of the Indian electorate, begins to question the Indian democratic process on foreign soil. Why does he always defame India abroad?” Bhandari posted on X. He also referred to Gandhi as “an agent of George Soros,” alleging that he is working against Indian interests.
Echoing the sentiment, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said Gandhi’s remarks were part of a pattern of attacking national institutions while criticizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Rahul Gandhi’s identity now seems to be about humiliating Indian institutions. Be it the Constitution, judiciary, or the Election Commission, he goes abroad and questions their integrity. In trying to go after PM Modi, he is now targeting the nation itself,” Poonawalla said.
Gandhi, during his Boston address, had raised concerns over the credibility of the 2024 Maharashtra elections, claiming that 65 lakh votes were added to the voter list within a two-hour window, calling it “physically impossible.”
“More people voted than there are adults in Maharashtra. Between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM, 65 lakh voters cast their votes—if you do the math, it would mean polling went on till 2 AM, but there were no such lines. When we asked for videography, the Commission not only refused but changed the law to block access,” Gandhi claimed.
In response, Election Commission sources reiterated that political parties had made negligible efforts to challenge the voter rolls under the legally prescribed channels. Only 89 appeals were filed in Maharashtra during the Special Summary Revision (SSR) concluded in January 2025, despite the presence of over 13 million Booth Level Agents nationwide.
The SSR, held ahead of elections, allows for corrections, deletions of duplicates, and the inclusion of new voters. The Commission stated that the lack of appeals or objections indicated broad acceptance of the rolls and dismissed the allegations as unfounded.
Gandhi also used the Boston platform to reaffirm hopes for continued strong ties between India and the United States and thanked the Indian diaspora for promoting Congress values abroad. He is scheduled to address students at Brown University as part of his U.S. tour.