Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said he will soon release an “atom bomb” of data that will send shockwaves through the election system, alleging that it is “already dead” and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections were “rigged”.

Addressing the inaugural function of the day-long legal conclave on the theme ‘Constitutional Challenges: Perspectives and Pathways’, he also claimed that the prime minister is sitting on his chair with a “thin majority” and had there been a difference of a few seats, he would have not been there.

Gandhi cited data collected by the Congress from an assembly constituency in Karnataka, where the party checked the photographs and names of electors physically and reportedly found out that 1.5 lakh votes were “fake” out of a total of 6.5 lakh voters.

“You will see the shockwave that is going to go through the electoral system when we release this data. It is literally like an atom bomb,” the Congress leader claimed.

“The truth is that the election system in India is already dead. Please remember one thing that the prime minister of India enjoys a very slim majority. If 10-15 seats were rigged, and we suspect the actual figures to be closer to 70-80 to 100, he would not have been the prime minister of the country,” the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha claimed.

“In the coming few days, we are going to prove to you without any doubt how a Lok Sabha election can be rigged, and it was rigged,” he alleged.

Gandhi will make public details of the “anomalies” in voter list in the constituency in Karnataka on August 5 at Bengaluru’s Freedom park.

Sharpening his attack on the Election Commission, the former Congress chief said, “It’s very clear that the institution that protects this (Constitution), and defends it has been obliterated and taken over.”

Gandhi also said that he did not have the proof earlier and that is why he could not make such statements before.

“But, I am making this statement confidently now because I have 100 per cent proof. And, whoever I have shown it to has fallen off the chair. They literally said how it is possible. But it is possible, it’s happening, literally,” he claimed.

Gandhi said he has been speaking about the election system as he always had a suspicion that there was something wrong.

“Right from 2014, I had a suspicion that there is something wrong, something is not adding up. I had suspicions about the Gujarat Assembly elections… About this ability to score sweeping victories. Congress doesn’t get a single seat in Rajasthan, doesn’t get a single seat in Madhya Pradesh, doesn’t get a single seat in Gujarat… This was surprising to me,” he said.

Gandhi said in Maharashtra three formidable parties “suddenly evaporated” in assembly elections after winning clearly in the Lok Sabha elections a few months ago.

Noting that it was in Maharashtra that started to look seriously into electoral malpractice, he said, “We found it clearly that one crore new voters showed up between Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha and bulk of those votes go to the BJP. Still, we didn’t have clear proof. When I mentioned to my allies that a clear cheating had happened. But, we don’t have proof. Now, I say with absolutely on doubt that we have proof.”

“Now, we have such proof that will show the whole country that the institution of the Election Commission does not exist, that it has disappeared.”

Gandhi said it has taken six months of non-stop proof to find the proof, because the Election Commission does not give us electronic versions of the voter lists and one will be shocked to know that when they give booth-wise paper versions of voter lists that cannot be scanned.

“Why would the Election Commission scan-protect copy-protect the voter lists? You can see with zero doubt now on how the Lok Sabha election was stolen. This is on paper with physical paper voter lists, where out of 6.5 lakh voters, 1.5 lakh are fake,” he claimed.

Gandhi also claimed the Congress had a document on the Rafale deal, that said clearly that the prime minister’s office and the NSA “interfered” in the Rafale deal and “damaged” the Rafale deal.

“This document itself would have brought down any government in any country of the world. Nothing happened. You know where the document went, you know where the document died,” he said.

The former Congress chief said he is fighting 30 cases and anyone who fights the regime, any political person, NGOs, civil society knows the moment they oppose, they will be attacked.

Narrating his conversation with his sister, Gandhi said, “My sister told me I was playing with fire, and I said I know I’m playing with fire, and I’ll continue to play with fire. I am not scared of playing with fire…Eventually, like most of you, I am going to end up in the fire.”

“My family taught me not to be scared of cowards. The most cowardly thing you can ever do is to be scared of a coward. And that’s exactly what we’re dealing with. The ruling ideology is based to a great extent on cowardice,” the Congress leader claimed.

He said the Constitution is a manifestation of India’s identity, its culture. This is not written in 1947 or 1950, this is 3,000 years old and Buddha, Narayana guru, Periyar, speaks through this country, he noted.

“This is our blood and how dare you attack our blood. We are not just defending this red book, we are defending our way of life,” he said.

Gandhi also asked which Hindu tradition says that one should beat up a Muslim child, lynch anyone and not a single tradition of ours say it.

“These people are not attacking our politics, they are attacking us, our religion… they are attacking Hinduism,” he alleged.

Gandhi also lauded the role played by lawyers since the freedom struggle and said “We would not have got freedom if the lawyers of this country would not have fought. All this Constitution would not have been here, if it were not for the lawyers.”

He said it was the legal fraternity who built the legal architecture and it is this that is being destroyed and systematically unravelled on every front.

Gandhi also suggested that just like every hospital has a blood bank, “These days, due to the nature of the RSS and BJP, legal time has become like blood, and many people need it. My suggestion is to get a thousand lawyers to commit a certain amount of time to defend the Indian Constitution, and anyone who needs access to this legal time can come.”

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi

New Delhi: Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday alleged that the Constitution is “under siege” as the ruling BJP is using its power to dismantle the very framework it long opposed.

She alleged that the BJP is seeking to bring an “ideological coup” by replacing our democratic republic with a theocratic corporate state serving the powerful few.

In her special message read out at the day-long national legal conclave on ‘Constitutional Challenges – Perspectives and Pathways’, Gandhi said the Congress would oppose every attempt to undermine the Constitution in Parliament, in courts and on the streets, asserting that it is not just a political but an ideological commitment to defend every Indian’s dignity.

“Today, the Constitution is under siege. The BJP-RSS, which never fought for freedom or upheld equality, now uses its power to dismantle the very framework it long opposed,” she said.

“Their ideological forebears glorified Manusmriti, rejected the tricolour, and envisioned a Hindu rashtra, where democracy is hollow and discrimination is the law. In power, they’ve eroded institutions, criminalised dissent, targeted minorities and betrayed Dalits, Adivasis, OBCs and the working poor.

“Now they seek to erase socialism and secularism, pillars of Ambedkar’s vision of equal citizenship. This is not reform, but an ideological coup replacing our democratic republic with a theocratic corporate state serving the powerful few,” the former Congress chief alleged.

She stressed that India yearns for the inclusive, just and democratic nation envisaged by our freedom fighters and Constitution makers.

“That is what the Congress party stands and fights for. We will oppose every attempt to undermine the Constitution, in Parliament, in courts, and on the streets. This is not just political, it is our ideological commitment to defend every Indian’s dignity. I commend Abhishek Manu Singhvi and his team for reigniting this vital conversation. Our mission is clear – to reclaim the republic and protect the rights of each and every person,” she said in her message.

Gandhi said the Constitution is more than a legal charter and claimed that it is the moral foundation of our democracy, built on justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity.

Noting that the Constitution was shaped through the sacrifices and vision of the Indian National Congress, she said even before independence, the Congress imagined a Constitution “by Indians, for Indians”.

From the Nehru Report in 1928 to the demand for a Constituent Assembly in 1934, Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru laid the groundwork and B R Ambedkar, as chairman of the Drafting Committee, gave form to these ideals.

She said he warned that without social and economic justice, political democracy would be just a top dressing.

“The Congress recognised this and acted on it, expanding rights, strengthening institutions, and upholding dignity and inclusion,” she said.

Balodabazar: A total of 78 students of a government-run school in Chhattisgarh’s Balodabazar district were administered anti-rabies vaccine after they consumed mid-day meals contaminated by a stray dog, an official said on Saturday.

The incident took place on July 29 at Government Middle School in Lachchhanpur under Palari block and a probe is underway into the chain of events, he said.

“A stray dog contaminated cooked vegetables that were to be served to school students as part of their mid-day meal. Some of the students informed the teachers about the incident. Teachers had asked the self-help group that cooked the food to not serve it but they went ahead claiming it was not contaminated. A total of 84 students had food,” he said.

The students then narrated the incident in their homes after which parents and villagers approached the school, including its management committee chairperson Jhalendra Sahu, for clarifications, said Umashankar Sahu, father of one of the students.

The villagers sought the removal of the SHG for ignoring instructions on not serving allegedly contaminated food, he said.

“The anti-rabbies vaccine was administered as a precautionary measure, not because of confirmed infection. There is no side effect of the first dose. It was done on the demand of villagers, parents and SMC (school management committee) members,” said Lachhanpur health centre in charge Veena Verma.

On Saturday, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Deepak Nikunj and block education officer Naresh Verma along with other officials visited the school to initiate a probe into the matter. They recorded statements of the children, parents, teachers and school management committee members.

However, members of the SHG did not join the investigation, the official added.

Meanwhile, local MLA Sandeep Sahu wrote to Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai demanding a probe into the incident and action against the culprits. He also sought to know on whose instructions the children were given anti-rabies injections.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav

New Delhi: The Election Commission on Saturday dubbed as “baseless” claims of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav that his name was missing from the draft electoral rolls of Bihar as poll body sources said inquiries were on to understand the “reality” behind the second voter card.

To prove that his name was not on the draft rolls, Yadav had entered a voter identity card number, which showed no records.

While asserting that his name figures in the draft at serial number 416, officials said even if he still had any grievance, he should have followed the legal procedure laid down.

Meanwhile, the EC sources said that the RJD leader used the electoral roll with EPIC no. RAB0456228 for filling his nomination papers on affidavit in 2020.

“He was having this voter ID card number even in the electoral roll in 2015. His name with this voter card number exists in the draft electoral rolls too,” an official pointed out.

The other voter card with the number — RAB2916120 — has been found to be non-existent, and records from the last more than 10 years have been checked, the sources said.

They said no records have been found for the second card number “yet”.

“It is highly likely that the second card was never made through an official channel. Further inquiries are on to understand the reality of the second voter card number… whether it is a forged document,” the official cited above said.

Yadav on Saturday claimed his name was missing in the draft electoral rolls published by the EC as part of the special intensive revision in Bihar, ahead of the assembly polls.

At a press conference, Yadav, a former deputy chief minister, connected his phone to a big screen and tried to search his own EPIC number, which threw up the result ‘no records found’.

The RJD leader claimed he was not provided with any receipt by the booth-level officer who came to his house with an enumeration form.

Hitting back, the poll authority said pure electoral rolls are the foundation of any democracy.

Under the special intensive revision, the period of claims and objections is for a full month, from August 1 to September 1.

“He should ask the 47,506 booth-level agents of his party to file claims and objections if they find that the name of any eligible is left out or if the name of any ineligible voter has been included,” the EC said.

It pointed out that no booth-level agent (BLA) of any political party, including the RJD, has submitted a single case to the booth-level officers for inclusion or deletion during the past 24 hours.

“All BLAs have agreed to go through the booth-wise draft lists given to them on August 1 carefully. The EC is not able to understand why he is continuing to make baseless allegations that his name is not there,” the EC said.

Arrested accused Sagar Patil, Krishna Madar, Nagangouda Patil

Belagavi: Three individuals have been arrested for allegedly mixing pesticide into the drinking water tank of a government primary school in Hulikatti village, Savadatti taluk, reportedly with the intention of defaming and transferring the school’s Muslim headmaster.

The arrested have been identified as Sagar Patil, Nagangouda Patil, and Krishna Madar.

Speaking to the media, Belagavi District Superintendent of Police Dr. Bheemashankar S Guled stated that Sagar Patil, who is allegedly associated with the Shri Rama organization, had orchestrated the act with the intent of tarnishing the image of Suleman Gorenayak, the headmaster who had served at the government school for 13 years, and to push for his transfer.

Investigation has revealed that all three accused were known to each other, Nagangouda is a relative of Sagar, and Krishna had previously worked with Sagar as driver. Krishna was in a relationship with a girl from another community, and Sagar allegedly blackmailed him by threatening to expose the relationship unless he helped execute the plot. The accused even used a student by luring him with incentives to carry out the act.

The incident took place on July 14, when pesticide was mixed into the school’s drinking water tank. After consuming the water following their mid-day meal, eleven students fell ill and showed symptoms of poisoning.

A case was registered, and the Savadatti police launched an investigation, leading to the arrests.

Bijnor (UP) : The mutilated body of a 35-year-old woman was found in a field near Afzalgarh town in Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnor district, police said on Sunday.

While the police suspect she was attacked by a leopard, forest officials believe it to be a case of murder, with the body later mauled by an animal.

Afzalgarh Circle Officer Rajesh Solanki said the woman had gone to a field near the town on Saturday evening to collect fodder for cattle when she was attacked by a leopard.

Her body was later found in a severely mutilated condition.

“Initial signs suggest a leopard attack,” Solanki said, adding further clarity would emerge after postmortem.

However, Bijnor Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Abhinav Raj contradicted the police version, saying the injury marks and circumstances point towards murder.

“It appears to be a case of murder. The body may have been partially eaten by an animal after death,” he said.

Police have sent the body for postmortem and further investigation is underway.

Gadag (Karnataka) BJP leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavarj Bommai on Sunday condemned Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s statement on the Mahadayi river project, as he also questioned the Congress’ moral right to speak on the issue.

He claimed that whatever progress has been made on the Mahadayi issue, it happened under the BJP government.

Addressing the Goa Assembly last week, Sawant claimed that the Centre would not approve the Mahadayi project.

He also said the Goa government would file a contempt petition in the Supreme Court against Karnataka for carrying out activities aimed at diverting Mahadayi river water.

Bommai said, “There is no need to politicise the Mahadayi project issue. We are all united as this is an issue concerning the state. I condemn the statement made by the Chief Minister of Goa. There is no need to play such a big political game over one state’s interests. He must act in accordance with the law, and hence I condemn his remarks.”

Speaking to reporters here, he questioned the moral standing of Congress leaders in Karnataka on the Mahadayi issue.

“Congress leader Sonia Gandhi herself during the Goa polls said that not a single drop of Mahadayi water would be given to Karnataka. What moral right does Congress have to speak on this issue?” he asked.

Dubbing the Goa CM’s statement an “insult to the people of Karnataka”, CM Siddaramaiah had earlier hit out at the BJP stating “Why has the Centre not officially communicated its concerns? Is this how federalism works under the BJP? Are we being punished for not surrendering to the BJP?”

Bommai accused the Congress party of building a barrier to prevent Mahadayi water from flowing into the Malaprabha river, thereby obstructing the interlinking canal work initiated during the BJP regime and this was the only “contribution” Congress made to the Mahadayi project.

“Whatever progress has been made on the Mahadayi issue, it happened under the BJP government. The Congress, which constituted the tribunal, did not even provide it an office for four years. It was the BJP government that gave it an office. Though the tribunal gave a verdict, it was not notified. The NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued the notification,” he said.

It was the central NDA government that prepared the DPR for the Mahadayi project and got it approved. “It was also the BJP government that secured environmental clearance. The only thing the Congress did was to block the interlinking canal works started during the BJP tenure by constructing a barrier to prevent Mahadayi water from reaching the Malaprabha river,” he said.

Goa has been opposing Karnataka’s Kalasa-Banduri project in the Mahadayi river basin.

The Kalasa-Banduri project by the Karnataka government proposes diverting Mahadayi river water into the Malaprabha river to enhance the drinking water supply in parts of Dharwad, Belagavi, Bagalkote, and Gadag districts.

The Mahadayi river flows through Karnataka and Goa before joining the Arabian Sea. Known as the Mandovi in Goa, it is one of the state’s two major rivers.

The diversion of Mahadayi water has long been a point of contention between Karnataka and Goa, with the latter claiming “it would severely impact the state’s flora and fauna.”

Speaking about the urea shortage in the state, Bommai said the government could have averted the crisis.

“Rainfall began early this year, and fertilizer should have been supplied where needed. Buffer stock should have been maintained, the management has not been proper,” he said.

Noting that the state government has now submitted to the Centre for additional urea fertilizer supply, he said, “We (BJP) too will speak with the Union Minister for Agriculture and Fertilizers to get more supply. But more importantly, the fertilizer that is already arriving must be distributed properly by the Agriculture Department and the concerned ministers.”