"Leading country into dark cave": RJD MP Manoj Jha accuses EC over 'vote chori'

New Delhi [India], August 12 (ANI): Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission(EC), accusing it of orchestrating what he termed as a "loot" of votes, and alleged that the ruling party is "leading the country into a dark cave" with no public legitimacy.
Speaking to ANI after walking out of the Rajya Sabha, RJD MP Jha said, "We are using the word 'chori' in a very innocuous manner. But this is a loot. The Election Commission is involved in this loot. The two people at the top are involved in this. So, 'vote chor, gaddi chhodd'...The entire Opposition has walked out. What do we have to hear? You are leading the country into a dark cave. Everyone has come to realise that this is an illegitimate government. They do not have legitimacy."
Criticising the Election Commission's move to meet only a limited number of MPs from the Opposition over concerns related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, Jha remarked, "This corruption has led to a situation where space feels insufficient. Despite this, the Election Commission has managed to hold simultaneous meetings with groups of 250 members each."
Reiterating his criticism of the SIR exercise, Jha on Monday had called it "a fraud" and accused the EC of withholding essential classified data.
"If you cannot meet MPs citing the excuse of space, then that in itself is a comment on what kind of work you are doing... This (SIR) is a fraud; you are not providing classified data. Despite the Supreme Court's instructions, your (Election Commission) stubbornness is not going away," he stated.
Meanwhile, on Monday, Senior INDIA bloc leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and NCP (Sharad Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar, led a march from Parliament to the ECI headquarters in New Delhi to protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar and alleged "voter fraud" in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Delhi Police were seen stopping the MPs who were raising slogans of "vote chor" as they marched towards the office of the poll body at Nirvachan Sadan.
The protest march began from the Makar Dwar of the Parliament under the leadership of Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. The MPs began their march to urge the EC to address their concerns on the alleged "voter theft".
Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav, who was part of the protest march, said, "Questions are being raised on our democracy. In UP, by-elections were held on 10 Vidhan Sabha seats; not only were votes stolen, but booths were captured. Why didn't the Election Commission take action against the officers who were working on orders of the state government?" (ANI)