Rahul's Haryana vote theft claim 'baseless', attempt to defame country: BJP
New Delhi (PTI): The BJP on Wednesday dismissed Rahul Gandhi's allegation of mass vote theft in the Haryana Assembly Polls as "false and baseless" and accused the Congress leader of raising questions on the Election Commission to hide his failures and defame the country's democracy.
Rijiju's retort came hours after Gandhi cited electoral list data from Haryana to claim that 25 lakh entries were "fake" and the victory in the state was "stolen" from his party last year.
Gandhi said he had "100 per cent" proof of the malfeasance he alleged.
Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju, in a press conference, accused Gandhi of "playing games" in collusion with "anti-India" forces to defame the country.
He said Gandhi goes abroad during elections, does not meet people on the ground, and cries foul after his party loses.
He derided him as someone who cannot work hard or live among the people.
If there is any irregularity with the voting, then one must flag it with the EC or approach the court. "But he never does it," he said about the Congress leader.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Protesters clash with police during torch rally in Manipur
Imphal (PTI): People protesting the death of two children in a recent bomb blast in Manipur clashed with security forces during a torch rally in the state capital Imphal, police said.
Two children died in a bomb blast at Tronglaobi in Bishnupur on April 7. The Imphal Valley districts have been witnessing daily protests over the incident.
A seven-km-long torch rally was brought out from Mayai Lambi to Keishamthong in Imphal West district on Monday night, but the participants turned violent and clashed with the security forces, a police officer said.
Security forces fired several rounds of tear gas shells in Keishamthong area after hundreds of protesters defying curfew demanded they be allowed to proceed for another 200 metres towards Keisampat area, which is close to the Lok Bhavan and the BJP state office, he said.
ALSO READ: 5.2-magnitude quake jolts Manipur
Orders prohibiting the movement of any individuals outside their respective homes are in force in all the five valley districts from 5 pm to 5 am.
"Protesters pelted the security forces with stones and iron pellets from catapults, endangering the lives of the heavily outnumbered security forces," the officer said.
Manipur Police have, meanwhile, arrested 19 people for violating curfew and committing offences, including blocking roads and damaging public property, in the Greater Imphal area. They were nabbed from different parts of Imphal West district on Sunday, a police statement said.
In the Ukhrul district headquarters, a candlelight vigil was held on Monday night to honour the two Tangkhul Naga civilians who were killed in an ambush in TM Kasom area in the district on April 18.
Various civil society organisations from both the valley and hill areas strongly condemned the brutal killings, alleging that the victims were shot by Kuki militants using sniper rifles.
