‘Baseless and reckless’: Veteran judges, diplomats shred Rahul Gandhi’s ‘vote chori’ allegation
A group of more than 200 retired judges, bureaucrats, military veterans, and diplomats has sharply criticised the Congress and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi for alleging large-scale electoral misconduct under the party’s ‘vote chori’ campaign. In an open letter, the group said the accusations against the Election Commission reflect “an attempt to drape political frustration in the garb of institutional crisis.”
The letter, signed by 272 individuals, includes 16 retired judges, 123 former bureaucrats, 133 retired Army officers, and 14 former ambassadors. The signatories accused the Congress of undermining democratic institutions and spreading distrust in the electoral process.
The open letter says the Congress leaders’ behaviour reflects what might be called “‘impotent rage‘ – deep anger born of repeated electoral failure and frustration, without a concrete plan to reconnect with the people”.
The open letter says, “We, the senior citizens of civil society, express our grave concern that India’s democracy is under assault, not by force, but by a rising tide of venomous rhetoric directed toward its foundational institutions. Some political leaders, instead of offering genuine policy alternatives, resort to provocative but unsubstantiated accusations in their theatrical political strategy.
After their attempts to tarnish the Indian Armed Forces by questioning their valour and accomplishments, and the Judiciary by questioning its fairness, Parliament, and its constitutional functionaries, now it is the turn of Election Commission of India to face systematic and conspiratorial attacks on its integrity and reputation.”
Slamming Gandhi, the letter says he has repeatedly attacked the Election Commission and declared that he has proof that the Election Commission is involved in vote theft. The letter describes the Congress leader’s “atom bomb” remarks as “unbelievably uncouth rhetoric“.
“Yet, despite such scathing accusations, there has been no formal complaint filed by him, along with the prescribed sworn affidavit, to escape his accountability for levelling unsubstantiated allegations and threatening public servants in performance of their duty,” it says.
“Moreover, several senior figures of Congress and other political parties, leftist NGOs, ideologically opinionated scholars, and a few attention seekers in other walks of life, have joined in with similarly blistering rhetoric against SIR, even declaring that the Commission has descended into complete shamelessness by acting like the ‘B-team of the BJP’. Such fiery rhetoric may be emotionally powerful – but it collapses under scrutiny, because the ECI has publicly shared its SIR methodology, overseen verification by court-sanctioned means, removed ineligible names in a compliant manner, and added new eligible voters. This suggests that these accusations are an attempt to drape political frustration in the garb of institutional crisis,” the statement says.
The letter reads,”When political leaders lose touch with the aspirations of ordinary citizens, they lash out at institutions instead of rebuilding their credibility. Theatrics replace analysis. Public spectacle takes the place of public service. The irony is stark: when electoral outcomes are favourable in certain States where opposition-driven political parties form governments, criticism of the Election Commission disappears. When they are unfavourable in certain States, the Commission becomes the villain in every narrative. This selective outrage exposes opportunism, not conviction. It is a convenient deflection: to give the impression that loss is not a result of strategy, but conspiracy.”
The letter refers to former Chief Election Commissioners TN Seshan and N Gopalaswami and says their unyielding leadership transformed the Election Commission into a formidable constitutional sentinel. “They did not court popularity. They did not chase headlines. They enforced the rules – fearlessly, impartially, relentlessly. Under them, the Commission gained moral and institutional teeth. It became a guardian, not a bystander… Now is the time for civil society and the citizens of India to stand firmly with the Election Commission, not out of flattery, but out of conviction. The society should demand that political actors stop undermining this vital institution with baseless allegations and theatrical denunciations. Instead, they should offer the public serious policy alternatives, meaningful reform ideas, and a national vision rooted in reality,” the letter says.
The letter also says that countries across the world have adopted a firm stance on illegal immigration. “If other nations guard the electoral integrity of their states so resolutely, India must be equally proactive. The sanctity of our electoral rolls is not a partisan issue – it is a national imperative,” it says.
“We call upon the Election Commission to continue its path of transparency and rigour. Publish complete data, defend itself through legal channels when necessary, and reject politics dressed up as victimhood. We call upon political leaders to respect the constitutional process, to compete not through baseless accusation but through policy articulation, and to accept democratic verdicts with grace,” the letter adds.
The Congress has accused the Election Commission of working in collusion with the ruling BJP to facilitate the alleged vote fraud. The BJP and the poll body have trashed the allegations.
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