New Delhi: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused the BJP and the Election Commission of India (ECI) of orchestrating a massive voter fraud during the recent Haryana Assembly elections. Addressing a press conference at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi, Gandhi unveiled what he called the “H Files” (Haryana Files), alleging that the people’s mandate had been “stolen” through widespread electoral manipulation.
Key Allegations by Rahul Gandhi
- 25 Lakh ‘Fake’ Votes: Gandhi claimed that Congress research identified nearly 25 lakh fake or duplicate voters, amounting to around 12% of Haryana’s total electorate.
- 223 Votes by One Person: He alleged that one individual’s photograph was used 223 times across polling booths to cast multiple votes.
- Fake Photo Entries: Gandhi displayed a photograph of a Brazilian model, claiming her image was used to register 22 voters under different names in various booths.
- UP BJP Leaders Voting in Haryana: The Congress leader further claimed that BJP workers and leaders from Uttar Pradesh were found voting in both UP and Haryana.
Data Breakdown Presented
Gandhi’s team reportedly identified:
- 5.21 lakh duplicate voters
- 93,174 invalid voters
- 1.24 lakh voters with fake photographs
- 19.26 lakh bulk or suspicious voters
He accused the Election Commission of ignoring its own software tools to detect duplicate entries, calling it “complicity in the theft of democracy.”
“I am questioning the Election Commission and the entire electoral process of India — with full proof. This is not just about Haryana; this is about the future of Indian democracy,” Gandhi said.
BJP’s Response
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongly rejected Rahul Gandhi’s allegations, calling them a “desperate attempt to divert attention” from the Congress’s poor performance in Haryana.
BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said:
“Rahul Gandhi is once again spreading lies to remain politically relevant. Every election he loses becomes a conspiracy in his eyes. His so-called ‘H Files’ are nothing but fiction.”
He added that the EC’s voter roll process is transparent and verified at multiple levels, involving local officials and public scrutiny before final publication.
“If the Congress truly has evidence, they should submit it before the Election Commission or the courts instead of making baseless accusations in the media,” Bhatia said.
Haryana BJP President Nayab Saini also condemned the allegations, stating:
“The people of Haryana have decisively rejected the Congress. Rahul Gandhi is insulting voters by suggesting they were manipulated. The election was conducted under full ECI supervision, and observers from all parties certified the process.”
Election Commission’s Response
Sources within the Election Commission of India (ECI) dismissed the claims as “factually incorrect and misleading.” They said the Commission had not received any formal complaints or evidence from Rahul Gandhi or the Congress party regarding the alleged fraud.
“The electoral rolls undergo continuous revision and are open to verification by all recognized political parties. Duplicate and invalid entries are removed through a transparent process,” the EC source said.
The Commission also pointed out that only a few petitions challenging the results had been filed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, suggesting that the claims lacked legal backing.
