The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday strongly rejected Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of voter fraud in Haryana, calling his claims “fake” and “politically motivated.”
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha is “colluding with anti-India forces” and should focus on “serious issues” instead of what he termed “baseless narratives.”
BJP’s Reaction to ‘The H Files’ Press Conference
Addressing reporters, Rijiju criticized Gandhi’s press briefing, where the Congress leader had accused the Election Commission (EC) of working under the influence of the ruling party.
“It clearly shows there is nothing left for him in Bihar, so to divert attention, he is now bringing up Haryana,” Rijiju said.
“He even mentioned the name of a foreign woman. These claims are irrelevant and fake.”
Rijiju also accused Gandhi of prioritizing foreign trips over parliamentary duties.
“During elections, he goes abroad; during Parliament sessions, he visits places like Cambodia and Thailand. Now, during the Bihar election, he went to Colombia,” Rijiju added.
The minister claimed Gandhi brings “ideas from abroad” that turn into “false political stories” in India.
‘Italian Woman’ Jibe from BJP Leaders
BJP spokesperson Radhika Khera took a dig at Gandhi’s claim that a Brazilian model’s photo appeared in voter rolls. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Khera wrote in Hindi:
“A vote was also cast in Hindustan by an ‘Italian’ woman. Do you know her name?”
The remark appeared to reference Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi’s mother.
Rahul Gandhi’s ‘H Files’ Allegations
Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi had held a press conference at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi, unveiling what he called “The H Files.” He alleged large-scale manipulation in the 2024 Haryana Assembly Election, which the BJP won for a third consecutive term.
Gandhi claimed there were 25 lakh fake or duplicate voters in Haryana, including entries using a Brazilian model’s photo repeated under multiple names.
According to Gandhi, with around 2 crore registered voters, nearly 12.5% of the list was “fake.” He highlighted that the BJP’s total victory margin across key seats was about 22,000 votes — a figure he said was overshadowed by the alleged discrepancies.
“This means one in eight voters in Haryana are fake,” Gandhi stated. “This is not just vote theft — it’s a theft of democracy and of India’s youth’s future.”
Background on the 2024 Haryana Election
In the 2024 state polls, the BJP won 48 of 90 seats, securing its third term in office. The Congress secured 37 seats, falling short by eight of the majority mark. Gandhi said exit polls had projected a Congress win, but claimed “vote chori” reversed the outcome.
He also showed images that he alleged were used for 223 votes in one instance, while another voter supposedly cast ballots 22 times across 10 booths.
Rijiju’s Counterclaim
Rijiju dismissed Gandhi’s evidence as “fabricated.”
“Rahul Gandhi says an atom bomb will explode, but it never does. These are hollow threats,” he said, adding that “India’s youth are wise and stand firmly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
The exchange comes just a day before voting begins in the Bihar election, where Gandhi and the opposition INDIA bloc are campaigning. The “H Files” press conference has triggered sharp political debate, with the BJP defending the EC’s neutrality and the Congress alleging large-scale voter manipulation.
Observers say the issue could shape narratives around electoral transparency ahead of upcoming state and national polls.
