Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday accused the Election Commission of orchestrating a nationwide conspiracy to cut the votes of millions of people, during his opening remarks at the Extended Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Patna.
Kharge questioned the impartiality and transparency of the Election Commission, saying, “The foundation of democracy is fair and transparent elections. However, serious questions are being raised today about the impartiality of the EC. Revelations have surfaced in various states, and instead of addressing them, the EC is demanding affidavits from us.”
He warned that, following the example of Bihar, the alleged conspiracy threatens to disenfranchise millions, particularly Dalits, tribals, backward classes, minorities, and other vulnerable sections. “Vote theft means the theft of rations, pensions, medicines, children’s scholarships, and exam papers belonging to these communities,” Kharge added.
Kharge also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign and domestic policies. He accused the Centre of diplomatic “missteps” and opening the doors to Chinese imports, stating, “Our international problems are the result of failures by Modi and his government. Meanwhile, imports from China have doubled in the last five years, despite the rhetoric of ‘Swadeshi.’”
He further highlighted domestic challenges, including economic slowdown, unemployment, social polarization, and weakening of autonomous institutions. Referring to unfulfilled promises, he said, “The promise of two crore jobs remained unfulfilled. Youth are wandering aimlessly without employment. Demonetization and flawed GST reforms derailed the economy. Only now are the same GST reforms being introduced that Congress had been demanding from day one.”
Kharge described the Patna CWC meeting as “extremely important” given the challenging national and international circumstances facing India today.