New Delhi, 23 December 

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his recent remarks made in Germany, alleging vote theft and institutional capture in India, accusing him of defaming the country on foreign soil and undermining democratic institutions.

Addressing a press conference, BJP spokesperson Shehzaad Poonawalla described Gandhi’s comments as “India-bashing” and alleged that the Congress leader frequently associates with individuals holding what he termed “anti-India thinking.”

“The same Rahul Gandhi, who is sometimes seen with people associated with organisations having anti-India thinking, sometimes secretly meets those spewing poison against the country regarding Kashmir, and sometimes goes and stands on platforms that defame India,” he said.

Poonawalla strongly refuted Gandhi’s claims of vote theft and manipulation of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), calling them exaggerated and unsupported by facts. He challenged Gandhi to substantiate specific allegations made during his public remarks.

“Rahul Gandhi said that one woman has voted 200 times in the Haryana elections. He didn't say that her name emerged 200 times; he said she had voted 200 times. He also said that a woman called Shakun Rani voted twice... I want to challenge Rahul Gandhi to give out the details of the woman and how she voted 200 times...,” Poonawalla stated.

Questioning Gandhi’s opposition to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the BJP spokesperson argued that allegations of voter list manipulation were inconsistent with claims of EVM tampering.

“When the issue of voter lists and vote theft arose, he was asked many times if the EVMs themselves are faulty, then why the excuse of the voter list? Any sensible person would ask If manipulation is happening in EVMs, then why the ruckus over the voter list?” he said.

Poonawalla also pointed to instances where Congress and Opposition parties had accepted election outcomes conducted using EVMs, including victories in states such as Jharkhand, Karnataka, Telangana and Jammu and Kashmir.

“Whether it is Jharkhand, Karnataka, Telangana, or Jammu-Kashmir--wherever Congress or the opposition won, the EVMs were fine there. In the Lok Sabha elections too, the EVMs were fine. But when they lose the elections, when nothing remains to answer, then they start blaming the EVM,” he said.

Referring to a 2024 Supreme Court observation, Poonawalla noted that the apex court had criticised the tendency of political parties to question EVM integrity only after electoral defeats. He further cited statements by leaders from allied parties expressing faith in EVMs.

“If Rahul Gandhi does not have faith in the Supreme Court, then does he not have faith in his allies either? Omar Abdullah has openly said that he does not blame the EVM. NCP's Supriya Sule said in Parliament that she has won elections through EVMs many times, so how can she call it wrong,” he said.

Highlighting alleged instances of electoral malpractice during previous Congress regimes, Poonawalla accused Gandhi of lacking moral authority to question India’s democratic process.

“This is the real face of Rahul Gandhi--to go abroad and defame India after losing in the country,” he added.

The BJP’s response follows Gandhi’s address at the Hertie School in Berlin, where he reiterated allegations of vote theft, questioned the fairness of recent Assembly elections, and accused the BJP-led government of capturing institutions and weaponising investigative agencies.