The All India Congress Committee (AICC) launched a nationwide signature campaign today to challenge alleged electoral malpractices, widely referred to as ‘Vote Chori.’ General Secretary G.A. Mir announced that the party aims to gather 5 crore signatures across the country to present a petition to the President of India.
Mir shared these details during a press conference at Omoh, Verinag in South Kashmir’s Anantnag, marking the formal initiation of the campaign aimed at curbing electoral irregularities.
The signature drive will run from September 15 to October 15. According to Mir, the campaign aims to raise awareness about voting rights among citizens while addressing the theft of votes allegedly orchestrated by collusion between the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
During his address, Mir claimed that around 65 lakh votes have been deleted in Bihar, an act he denounced as a “murder of democracy.” He called for public participation in the campaign to confront this issue head-on.
“We are aiming for 5 crore signatures to present the petition to the President. Our campaign has made people aware of the importance of their vote and sensitized them to the protection of electoral rights — a first since Independence,”
Mir stated. He emphasized that the movement extends beyond signature collection; it addresses systemic issues where votes are being deleted or added and where voters are prevented from reaching polling booths.
“Vote Chori is a crime, a blot on democracy, and a direct assault on the electoral rights of people,” he added.
Labeling the problem as widespread, Mir noted that incidents of voter manipulation had surfaced in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Bihar, facilitated by the ECI under the current regime.
In a show of solidarity, the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has been vocal in denouncing these manipulations. He criticized the deletion of genuine voters and registration of fake votes across various states, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
The AICC’s campaign marks a pivotal moment as they aim to combat the alleged ‘ECI-BJP nexus’ undermining voter integrity. Mir stated that under the leadership of Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, the Congress Party will continue to fight diligently to uphold voter identity and electoral rights.
“Powerful start to the Signature Campaign against ‘Vote Chori’ today in Doru Constituency, Anantnag! Hundreds of committed workers joined from my own polling booth to safeguard our democracy. Every signature counts! We won’t let our voices be stolen,”
Mir articulated on social media, rallying support for a movement that resonates deeply with concerns about electoral fairness. The gathering also featured remarks from MLA Nizam Ud Din Bhat, who described the initiative as an “indigenous people’s movement” led by Rahul Gandhi aimed at protecting democracy and the fundamental rights of voters.