New Delhi (IANS) Amid tight security arrangements at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, Congress workers and leaders gathered for a protest rally against alleged ‘vote chori’, accusing the Centre and the Election Commission of India (ECI) of colluding to manipulate elections.
The demonstration, however, also triggered controversy as several participants were heard raising objectionable slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As slogans echoed across the venue, some workers were heard chanting, ‘Modi teri kabr khudegi, aaj nahi to kal khudegi’ (Modi, your grave will be dug, if not today, then tomorrow), along with ‘Vote chor, gaddi chhord’, targeting the Prime Minister.
BJP registered a strong protest against the rally and the derogatory remarks. BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra launched a scathing attack on Congress’ ‘vote chori’ protest and the derogatory slogans directed at Modi. He said that the public “will not tolerate” such disrespect towards their “beloved leader”.
A Congress worker from Rajasthan, Manjulata Meena, speaking to IANS, said, “We are with our leader Rahul Gandhi, who is fighting against the ‘vote chori’ being committed by the BJP in collusion with the ECI. People have arrived in large numbers here. We will do our best to fight against the vote chori.”
When asked about the derogatory slogans raised against the Prime Minister, she reiterated the chant and added, “Everyone is fed up with this Hitler government. This public will strengthen its voice, and it will become the last nail in his coffin. The EVM hacking and vote chori will not be tolerated now. You can see what happened in Sri Lanka and Nepal; the public is not naive, it knows everything, and it will surely work to put the last nail in his coffin.”
Another Congress worker, Sonia Begum, justified the controversial remarks and said, “We are with Rahul Gandhi in this fight. Evil must come to an end. That is why we are raising slogans ‘Modi teri kabr khudegi’. We want change.”
Throughout the protest rally, party workers continued to raise similar objectionable slogans while holding placards and banners. “The public is not being treated right. We are with our leadership to fight for people’s rights. The public will not tolerate these wrongdoings like vote theft now,” Sunita, another Congress worker asserted.
Congress high command, including party National President Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and senior leaders such as K.C. Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, are also scheduled to participate in the protest. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, along with all Congress legislators from the state and over 1,000 party workers, are expected to attend the protest in the national capital.
Venugopal told IANS, “This protest is not against the BJP, but against vote theft. Lakhs of people are participating in the rally to protect democracy. Congress will continue to work to defend democratic values. People are clear in their minds that vote theft has occurred.”
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said, “Since yesterday evening, the streets, hotels, and lanes of Delhi have been filled with people. The enthusiasm with which people have gathered shows they have come on a mission to protect democracy and uphold the Constitution. While the BJP sided with the British during the freedom struggle, Congress endured imprisonment, faced the gallows, and suffered atrocities to secure India’s independence… We will continue this fight.”
Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Patra said, “At the rally at Ramlila Maidan organised by the Congress party over alleged vote theft, some Congress members reportedly raised slogans saying, ‘Modi, teri kabra khudegi.’ I have not personally heard this slogan, but I will see through it carefully. If such slogans were indeed raised, it shows that Congress still fails to understand public sentiment. Whenever they have used abusive language against PM Modi or his family, the public has rejected them.”
“A few days ago, one of their spokespersons circulated an AI video mocking PM Modi, showing him saying, ‘Chai le lo, chai le lo’. This clearly shows that there is no shortage of Mani Shankar Aiyars. This is Mani Shankar Aiyar’s mentality, which teaches abusing PM Modi and defaming him through the politics of polarization. However, the public never tolerates any kind of abuse against the leader they love,” the BJP national spokesperson added.
