Rahul Gandhi's presser exposed India's biggest electoral fraud: Jairam Ramesh
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Wednesday said Rahul Gandhi's press conference has exposed India's "biggest electoral fraud" and slammed the Election Commission, saying the poll body that stays "asleep" on hate-filled speeches suddenly becomes active in removing genuine voters from the electoral roll and adding fake ones.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh claimed that the revision of voter list is actually "vote theft".
Ramesh's remarks came after Gandhi, at a press conference here, claimed that the Haryana assembly polls last year were "stolen".
Reacting to Gandhi's remarks, Election Commission officials said his charge is "unfounded" as no appeals were filed against the electoral rolls in Haryana.
In his post on X, Ramesh said, "Rahul Gandhi's press conference has exposed India's biggest electoral fraud. 25 lakh fake voters in Haryana -- prepared with the full knowledge of the BJP and the silent consent of the Election Commission."
"The Modi-Shah model is clear: when public support isn't forthcoming, just change the voter list itself," the Congress leader said.
"The same Election Commission that stays asleep on hate-filled speeches suddenly becomes active in removing genuine voters from the list and adding fake ones. This isn't a revision of the voter list— it's vote theft," Ramesh said.
Earlier, Gandhi cited electoral list data to claim that 25 lakh entries were fake and the Election Commission colluded with the BJP to make the party win in Haryana.
The elaborate plan included a Brazilian model whose photograph was used 22 times in 10 booths in the Rai assembly constituency during the 2024 assembly elections, the former Congress president said at the press conference during which he put up a presentation to back his claim.
The poll authority, Gandhi added, launched "Operation Sarkar Chori" to convert the landslide victory of his party into a loss in the state
The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said he is questioning the Election Commission and the democratic process in the country and is doing so with 100 per cent proof.
Gandhi also alleged that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the two election commissioners colluded with the BJP to ensure the ruling party's victory in Haryana and claimed "they are in partnership" with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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UAE condemns 'terrorist' attack on Indian-flagged vessel off Oman coast
Dubai (PTI): The UAE has condemned a strike on an Indian-flagged vessel off the coast of Oman, calling it a "terrorist attack" and a "dangerous escalation" that threatens the stability of critical waterways.
The commercial vessel, which was sailing from Somalia, came under attack on Wednesday, according to India's Ministry of External Affairs.
All 14 crew members were rescued by Omani authorities, but it was not immediately known who carried out the strike, it said.
"The UAE strongly condemns terrorist attack on Indian-flagged ship off the coast of Oman," the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said in a statement issued on Thursday. "This attack constitutes a grave threat to the security of international navigation and represents a dangerous escalation aimed at undermining the stability of critical waterways."
The incident took place amid the fragile situation in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway close to the coast of Oman through which roughly one-fifth of the world's energy supplies pass.
It has been severely disrupted by the conflict in West Asia that started on February 28, with the US and Israel launching joint attacks on Iran, triggering retaliatory strikes.
The MoFA further said that the attack on the India-flagged vessel on Wednesday was a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2817, which affirms the importance of freedom of navigation and rejects the targeting of commercial vessels or the obstruction of international maritime routes.
It emphasised that "targeting commercial shipping and using the Strait of Hormuz as a tool of economic coercion or blackmail represent acts of piracy and constitute a direct threat to the stability of the region, its peoples, and global energy security".
The UAE expressed solidarity with India and its support for all measures aimed at safeguarding the security and safety of its vessels and interests, the statement said.
Earlier, India had described the attack as "unacceptable".
At least two other Indian-flagged ships have been attacked since the conflict broke out.
