The All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary G.A. Mir today announced a significant signature campaign aimed at collecting 5 crore signatures across the country. This initiative seeks to petition the President of India regarding alleged “Vote Chori” and various electoral irregularities.
Addressing reporters at Omoh, Verinag in South Kashmir’s Anantnag after inaugurating the signature drive, Mir emphasized the campaign’s mission to increase public awareness concerning their voting rights. This initiative aims to curb what he termed as systematic electoral malpractices.
The campaign runs from September 15 to October 15. Mir accuses the ruling BJP of orchestrating the theft of votes through alleged collusion with the Election Commission of India (ECI). He stated that an estimated 65 lakh votes have been deleted in Bihar, a situation he describes as a “murder of democracy.”
“We are aiming for 5 crore signatures to present the petition to the President. Our campaign has educated the public on the significance of their vote and sensitized them to the need to protect their electoral rights — this is a first since Independence,” Mir stated.
He further claimed that irregular practices continue to plague the electoral process, where votes are being deleted or added fraudulently, and potential voters face obstacles reaching polling booths.
Mir firmly declared, “Vote Chori is a crime, a blot on democracy, and a direct assault on the electoral rights of people.”
The general secretary highlighted sentiments expressed by the Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, who has previously raised alarms about manipulative practices. These include the deletion of legitimate voters and the addition of fictitious ones, incidents that have notably transpired in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Bihar under SIR.
Mir assured that the Congress Party, under the leadership of Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, will remain steadfast in combating the alleged ‘ECI-BJP nexus’ to protect voter identity and electoral rights.
“We kicked off a powerful Signature Campaign against ‘Vote Chori’ today in Doru Constituency, Anantnag! Hundreds of committed workers joined from my polling booth to safeguard our democracy. Every signature counts! We won’t let our voices be stolen,” Mir shared via social media.
MLA Nizam Ud Din Bhat also spoke at the event, describing the campaign as an “indigenous people’s movement” led by Rahul Gandhi to uphold democracy and empower voter rights. The campaign signals a critical moment for the Congress Party as it seeks to mobilize public sentiment against perceived electoral malpractice.
