Congress Has 'Atom Bomb' Of Proof That EC Doing 'Vote Chori' For BJP: Rahul

New Delhi: In an escalating face-off with the Election Commission over the special intensive revision (SIR) exercise, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday alleged large-scale voter fraud favouring the BJP and claimed that his party possesses an “atom bomb” of evidence to prove “vote chori” (vote theft) by the poll panel. The EC refuted the charges as “baseless and deplorable”. The BJP slammed Mr Gandhi’s attack on the EC, asking him to “flow like water” instead of “exploding like a bomb”.

The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha also warned that those people in the EC who are involved in this vote chori, right from the top to the bottom, should remember that they will not be spared because they have indulged in “treason”.

“This is treason, nothing less than that. You may have retired, you may be anywhere… We will find you,” Mr Gandhi said.

The Congress leader's remarks came on a day the EC published the draft electoral rolls for Bihar, following the completion of the month-long exercise ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls.

The Opposition has been protesting in both Houses of Parliament against this revision, alleging the EC's exercise was aimed at "disenfranchising voters" in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections. They have been demanding a discussion on the issue in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

“I am not saying this lightly. I am saying this with 100 per cent proof. As soon as we release it, the whole country will know that the EC is indulging in vote chori. It is doing it for the BJP," Mr Gandhi alleged.

The EC termed Mr Gandhi's "wild allegations" of vote theft as deplorable, saying he has even started threatening the poll body and its staff.

"The Election Commission ignores such baseless allegations being made on a daily basis and despite the daily threats being given, asks all election officials to ignore such irresponsible statements and work in a fair and transparent manner," the poll body said in response to the comments made by Mr Gandhi. The EC also said they have sent several communications to Mr Gandhi, but he has not sent any communication to the EC.

"It is strange that he is making wild allegations and has now even started threatening the EC and its staff. Deplorable," it said, adding that it ignores all such "irresponsible statements and asks all its staff to continue working impartially and transparently".

Slamming Mr Gandhi's remark, the BJP asked him to "flow like water" instead of "exploding like a bomb". The ruling party also accused him of using "undemocratic and undignified" language to target the poll panel.

"If they explode a bomb, we will save the Constitution," it said.

Replying to a query from reporters on the Congress leader's remarks, BJP leader Sambit Patra said, "Will Mr Gandhi explode like a bomb? What do you think? Their job is to explode. They have no other work to do."

The BJP MP said the Opposition party speaks of such things because they have no faith in democracy.

"Think what kind of language this is: I (Mr Gandhi) will explode on the Election Commission!" Mr Patra told reporters at the BJP headquarters.

“You say I will go to the Supreme Court against the Election Commission, or I will protest against it in a democratic manner’, but exploding like a bomb? The language (of Mr Gandhi) itself is undemocratic and undignified,” Mr Patra said.