Rahul Gandhi Targets India’s Election System, Highlights Alleged Rigging in Berlin

Rahul Gandhi Alleges BJP ‘Weaponising’ Institutions, Raises Vote Rigging Claims in Berlin.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi intensified his attack on the BJP during a speech at Berlin’s Hertie School, accusing the ruling party of capturing India’s institutional framework and using agencies like the ED and CBI to target political opponents.

“There is a full-scale assault on our institutions. The ED and CBI have zero cases against the BJP, while most political cases are aimed at those who oppose them,” Gandhi said.

He added that businessmen supporting Congress face threats, claiming that India’s institutions no longer function as impartial entities. Gandhi emphasized that while Congress built these institutions as national assets, the BJP treats them as tools for consolidating power.

Vote Rigging Allegations
Gandhi renewed claims of vote theft in the 2024 Haryana Assembly elections, saying the party had evidence of victory and raised concerns over duplicate entries in voter lists with the Election Commission, but received no response.

“We fundamentally believe there is a problem with India’s electoral machinery,” he said, highlighting broader concerns about democracy under strain.

Clash of Visions
He also criticized PM Narendra Modi’s economic model, alleging it merely extends past policies without providing a new direction and risks creating social tensions. “This is a clash between two visions in India. The BJP’s approach will fail and sow divisions among people,” Gandhi said.

BJP Pushback
The BJP hit back, calling Gandhi anti-India. National spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari accused him of fostering unrest abroad with the help of “ideological patron George Soros,” while leader Shobha Karandlaje described him as childish and questioned his motives for criticizing India overseas.