"Attempt to defame EC, this is urban naxalism": BJP MLA Ram Kadam on Rahul Gandhi's "vote theft" charge

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 11 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ram Kadam on Monday said that Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was trying to defame the Election Commission (EC), which the Ghatkopar West MLA said was “urban naxalism."
"You are trying to defame EC, which is a parliamentary institution, according to our democracy. When someone deliberately attempts to do this, it is called urban naxalism. You are indirectly trying to support them," Kadam, MLA from the Ghatkopar West Vidhan Sabha constituency, told ANI.
He further criticised Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for failing to share the "foolproof information" regarding alleged vote theft with the Election Commission. He accused Rahul Gandhi of "peddling lies" among people.
"If Rahul Gandhi has any foolproof information, why is he not sharing that information with the Election Commission instead of only speaking in front of the media? The court has repeatedly reprimanded him. Despite this, he is deliberately peddling lies among people," Kadam said.
Earlier in the day, Delhi police detained Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and a host of other INDIA bloc leaders. The police foiled their march to the Election Commission to protest over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar and allegations of "vote chori" (vote theft) in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut and TMC MP Sagarika Ghose were also among those detained by the police. The detained MPs were corralled into a bus to be taken to the Parliament Street police station.
While being detained, Rahul Gandhi told reporters, "The reality is that they cannot talk. The truth is in front of the country. This fight is not political. This fight is to save the Constitution. This fight is for One Man, One Vote. We want a clean, pure voters list."
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra told ANI, "Dare hue hai. Sarkaar kaayar hai" (They are scared. The Government is a coward).
Gandhi linked the INDIA bloc leaders' march to the Election Commission as a "fight to save the Constitution" and demanded a "pure" voters list. At the same time, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi accused the BJP-led Union government of being "scared".
This development came as the Secretariat of the Election Commission of India wrote to Congress MP Jairam Ramesh, granting an appointment for interaction at noon today.
"EC has granted an appointment for an interaction at 12:00 PM today. It is requested that, due to the limitation of space, names of up to 30 persons may kindly be intimated," the letter read.
On August 7, Rahul Gandhi held a press conference, citing internal analysis. The LoP stated that the Congress expected to win 16 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka but ended up with only nine.
He said the Congress investigated seven unexpected losses, zeroing in on Mahadevapura, where he alleged vote theft involving 100,250 votes. Presenting Congress's research on voting in the Mahadevapura Assembly in Karnataka, Rahul Gandhi alleged "vote chori" (vote theft) of 100,250 votes.
"We found 100,250 votes stolen in five different ways. Duplicate voters, fake and invalid addresses, and bulk voters in a single address, in a building with 50-60 people living. But when we go there, there is no record of those people living there. One family living in that house," he said.
The Election Commission on Monday said that Rahul Gandhi "still has time" to submit a formal declaration to substantiate his allegation of "vote theft" or apologise to the country. The Karnataka CEO on Sunday asked Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to submit documents to inquire into his "vote theft" allegations against the Election Commission of India. (ANI)