In the second leg of the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ through poll-bound Bihar, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday (August 23, 2025) escalated his attack on the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging large-scale irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The Congress launched the 16-day yatra on August 17 to highlight what it calls attempts to “steal votes” in the state. Addressing a rally in Katihar district, part of the Muslim-dominated Seemanchal region, Gandhi accused the BJP of wanting to keep Dalits at the margins of society while handing “entire power and business” to industrialists Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani.
‘Battle of Ideologies’
Holding up a copy of the Constitution, Gandhi framed the campaign as a “battle of two ideologies” — one centered on equality and equal rights, the other on concentrating power in the hands of a few billionaires.
He alleged that despite widespread public support, the media was ignoring the yatra, saying:
“If you turn on the TV, you won’t see this slogan or yatra anywhere, because these media people don’t belong to the poor. They belong only to billionaires.”
Gandhi also criticized the Modi government for unemployment in Bihar, linking it to demonetisation and GST, while accusing banks of waiving off big loans for industrialists but denying relief to farmers.
Charge of Electoral Manipulation
He reiterated claims that the BJP and the ECI are “stealing votes” through manipulations in Bihar’s voter lists, alleging:
“They have deleted the names of lakhs of people in Bihar.”
Visit to Makhana Farmers
Earlier, Gandhi met makhana farmers in Katihar, highlighting their poor share of profits despite Bihar producing 90% of the world’s makhana.
“In big cities, it sells for ₹1,000–2,000 per kilo, but farmers get only a nominal price. All the hard work is done by the 99% Bahujans, but the profit goes to just 1% of middlemen,” he wrote on X.
Opposition Leaders Join In
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav also targeted the Prime Minister, coining a new full form for the NDA as “Nahi Denge Adhikar” (Won’t Give Rights). He dismissed the FIR filed against him for remarks on Modi as intimidation, saying:
“I will say it again and again that Narendra Modi is a factory of lies. I am not scared of the FIR.”
Meanwhile, Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi said the government was rattled by Rahul Gandhi’s campaign:
“Ever since Rahul Gandhiji raised the issue of vote theft, unease has spread across the Election Commission and BJP governments throughout the country.”
