Election Commission SIR row: Rahul Gandhi urges Gyanesh Kumar to 'turn approver', praises two ECs

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar should resign, or better "turn an approver", after the revelation that two election commissioners disagreed with him on several aspects of SIR, which Gandhi alleged was part of 'vote chori' and thus an act against the nation.

Gandhi complimented the two election commissioners for their expression of differences. This even as the Opposition sources said that political and legal discussions have started among the like-minded parties to draft a fresh notice (the third since the rejection of the first and the pending status of the second notice) for bringing in Parliament a motion for the removal of CEC Kumar in view of the latest developments.

"The two election commissioners have done a wise thing and I appreciate them. Mr Gyanesh Kumar should think seriously about the position he is in, and he should turn an approver. That would be an act of nationalism. We are aware of more things and there will be serious consequences for it," Gandhi said at a press conference on Thursday. He said the acts of two ECs showed that "the fear is diminishing".


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He also said that both "the prime minister and the home minister will be investigated for their role in the conspiracy of vote chori", but he didn't specify who will order such a probe and only said "once the system is repaired".

Gandhi reiterated the charge that "vote chori" has been committed by tampering the electoral roll and EVMs. He alleged it was due to 'vote chori' that the Modi government and many BJP state governments have won elections by bucking the burden of anti-incumbency, "something that even defeated Indira Gandhi's government". Gandhi, however, chose to overlook the fact that Congress governments ruled the Centre for over 50 of the 79 years since Independence and that his party had ruled many states for decades before losing out to BJP and other parties.

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Gandhi said that 'vote' is the foundation of the Constitution through which laws and institutions emerged. "So, this is not just an attack on vote, but an attack on the very idea of India." He said if MPs win through 'vote chori', the laws they will make will be illegal. Asked about Congress' attitude to the upcoming polls if he was convinced of 'vote chori', he said "people's increasing expression" won't allow a BJP victory.