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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of shielding those “destroying Indian democracy,” claiming he has insider information about large-scale voter manipulation.

Addressing a press conference at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said a “specific group” was systematically cutting votes belonging to minorities and communities that traditionally support the Congress. Gandhi added that while his much-discussed “Hydrogen Bomb” of evidence was still awaited, he already had material suggesting widespread voter deletions.

“I’m going to show the youth, the people, proof, clear, black and white, that the Chief Election Commissioner is protecting people who have undermined Indian democracy,” Gandhi said.

“I will also explain how votes are added or deleted, and exactly how the process works.”

Alleged Voter Deletions in Karnataka

Gandhi highlighted what he called “serious fraud” in Karnataka’s Aland Assembly constituency, alleging that at least 6,018 votes were removed from the rolls. He claimed the deletions were carried out using software and mobile numbers from outside the state, targeting Congress supporters.

He recounted how the issue surfaced by chance: a booth-level officer discovered her uncle’s name missing from the rolls, only to find that a neighbour—unaware of any wrongdoing—had been linked to the deletion.

“Neither the neighbour nor the voter knew anything. Some external force hijacked the process and deleted the vote,” Gandhi said. “It was caught only because of coincidence.”

The Congress MP added that similar irregularities had been found earlier in Karnataka’s Mahadevpura constituency, where he alleged fraudulent votes had also been added or removed.

“Targeting Opposition Supporters”

According to Gandhi, the alleged deletions are not isolated incidents but part of a broader effort aimed at communities voting against the ruling party—Dalits, OBCs, Adivasis, and minorities.

“Election after election, a group has been systematically targeting opposition voters for deletions,” he asserted. “We’ve heard this for years, but now we have 100% proof. I will only speak on the basis of solid evidence.”

ECI’s Response

Following Gandhi’s remarks, the Election Commission urged him to submit proof under affidavit to back his allegations. The poll body later held its own briefing, responding to queries about its ongoing Special Intensive Revision in Bihar and other issues raised by opposition parties.

Opposition leaders, including Gandhi, have long accused the ECI of colluding with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to manipulate voter rolls in several states, including Maharashtra and Karnataka.