EC's message to officials after Rahul Gandhi's 'vote theft' charges: ‘Ignore irresponsible statements’

The Congress leader claimed his party had carried out an independent investigation into the matter after receiving no cooperation from the Election Commission.

After Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Election Commission of “vote theft”, the poll panel said it ignores such “baseless allegations”.

"Election Commission ignores such baseless allegations being made on a daily basis and despite threats being given daily, asks all election officials to ignore such irresponsible statements while working impartially and transparently,” the poll panel stated as quoted by ANI.

Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, said this is not the first time Gandhi is "threatening"  Constitutional organisations.

."..This is a huge conspiracy to weaken democracy... This is a very dangerous behaviour and approach. The opposition is running a malicious plan to discredit constitutional organisations. It is an attack on democracy... Even the opposition party leaders have started to internally oppose Rahul Gandhi... People have started saying Rahul is playing a dirty game and wants to destroy the country's image...," Rijiju told ANI.

What did  Gandhi claim?

Gandhi accused the EC of direct involvement in large-scale voter fraud with the Congress having "open-and-shut proof" of the alleged theft.

Talking to reporters on the Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, the Congress leader alleged that the motive behind the voter fraud was to benefit the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Gandhi said, "Votes are being stolen. We have open-and-shut proof that the Election Commission is involved in this vote theft. And I'm not saying this lightly, I'm speaking with 100% proof. And when we release it (proof), the entire country will come to know that the Election Commission is enabling vote theft. And who are they doing it for? They're doing it for the BJP."

Gandhi said that the findings of an investigation by the Congress amount to nothing short of an "atom bomb," with implications severe enough to shake the very foundations of the EC.

"We had suspicion of voter theft, and we got into its granularity. Since the Election Commision was not helpful in the investigation, we did our own. It took six months and the things we found are an 'Atom Bomb' and when this atom bomb explodes you won't see Election Commission in the country," he said.

Taking a hardline stance, Gandhi warned individuals within the Commission he alleged that the steps taken by EC are "no less than treason." "Most importantly, whoever in the Elections Commission is involved in this exercise, right from top to bottom, we will not spare you. You are working against India and this no less than treason. Wherever you are, even if you are retired, we will find you," said the Lok Sabha LoP.