Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy said the fight to protect voting rights is a new freedom movement. At the 'Vote Bachao Desh Bachao' campaign, he accused the Modi govt and CEC of a conspiracy to wrongfully delete voters from electoral rolls.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday said that the ongoing struggle to safeguard the voting rights of the citizens is similar to another freedom movement in the country.
The Chief Minister highlighted that the fight against 'vote chori' is being waged under the leadership of Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and leaders of the INDIA alliance partners. Recalling the Congress leaders' struggle against British colonial rule for India's freedom, the CM observed that the same situation has now arisen where a struggle is necessary to protect the right to vote guaranteed by the Constitution, according to a press release.
'Fight for voting rights is new freedom movement': CM Reddy
Speaking at a meeting held on Monday at Telangana Bhavan in Delhi as part of the 'Vote Bachao Desh Bachao' (Save Vote Save Country) campaign, CM Revanth Reddy remarked that, on the lines of the 'Simon Go Back' movement during the freedom struggle, we should now fight with the slogans of 'Gyanesh Go Back' and 'SIR Go Back' to safeguard the right to vote.
As per the release, the Chief Minister alleged that the Modi government conspired to delete voters' names under the guise of voter list revision in collusion with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The CM recalled the unforgettable sacrifices of the great leaders Lala Lajpat Rai, Bhagat Singh, Mahatma Gandhi, and Jawaharlal Nehru during India's freedom struggle. Lala Lajpat Rai lost his life after sustaining severe injuries during a lathi-charge amidst the 'Simon Go Back' movement. India attained independence as a result of the sacrifices and struggles of numerous leaders.
Historical vs Current Use of Electoral Roll Revision
The CM highlighted that the Constitution, drafted by Dr BR Ambedkar after independence, empowered the people with the vote as a strong weapon. CM Revanth Reddy emphasised that the right to vote played an important role in ending monarchical and dynastic rule and placing power in the hands of the people.
The Chief Minister observed that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls had been conducted in the past as well. During Jawaharlal Nehru's tenure as Prime Minister in 1950, the SIR was used to grant voting rights to those who did not possess them. People were asked to furnish the details of which regions they had moved to following the partition of the country and settled. The SIR was conducted during the Indira Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee regimes. The primary focus was on including eligible individuals whose names were missing from the electoral rolls.
In contrast, the CM lashed out at the current Modi-Amit Shah administration, alleging that attempts are now being made to remove the names of people who already possess voting rights, the release said. CM Revanth Reddy accused the Modi government of misusing the process for political gain.
'Credibility of Election Commission Undermined'
The Chief Minister criticised the Central Government for exploiting the ED, CBI, Income Tax Department, and Narcotics Control Bureau and targeting political opponents. Now, the Centre brought the SIR because it finds it difficult to counter the political rivals using those other agencies alone.
The release noted that the CM lambasted the Modi government for orchestrating the SIR by appointing ECI Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The Election Commission is a constitutional body and functions independently and impartially. The Chief Minister cautioned that using such an institution for political purposes is detrimental to democracy. CM Revanth Reddy expressed concern that if the credibility of the Election Commission is undermined, public faith in the democratic system will be eroded.
CM Revanth Reddy recalled that the Election Commission previously functioned under the leadership of a single commissioner, but a three-commissioner system was introduced during PV Narasimha Rao's government, which brought greater transparency to the institution. The Chief Minister noted that, in the past, transparency was given top priority in the appointment of election commissioners by involving the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and the Leader of the Opposition. The Modi government altered this system in 2023, alleging that the Union Home Minister replaced the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in the appointment process. The release said that the CM criticised these changes, asserting that they were made to facilitate decisions favourable to the government.
Alleged Conspiracy to Disenfranchise Voters
The Chief Minister emphasised the need to ensure impartiality in the appointment of election commissioners. Rahul Gandhi had expressed strong objections at the time of Gyanesh Kumar's appointment as Chief Election Commissioner; the Chief Minister further alleged that Gyanesh was facilitating the removal of voters through the SIR process. CM Revanth Reddy alleged a conspiracy to disenfranchise Dalits, tribals, and people from backward classes. An attempt was also being made to remove the votes of the nation's youth. The Chief Minister criticised the move to target individuals who post content against the BJP and the Central Government on social media and strip them of their voting rights.
The CM noted that it was Rahul Gandhi who first identified this danger of removal of votes and brought it to the nation's attention. While opposition parties did not initially focus sufficiently on this issue, the gravity of the situation is now becoming apparent to everyone due to recent developments. CM Revanth Reddy said that not only the opposition but even members of the ruling party are raising questions about this matter. Senior BJP leaders like Murli Manohar Joshi have also spoken out on the issue.
Reddy questioned Modi and Amit Shah for not responding to the demand for the removal of Gyanesh Kumar. The CM demanded an explanation as to why they are supporting the Chief Election Commissioner. The Chief Minister questioned why people are being stopped and protests suppressed when they stage demonstrations against the Election Commission. The CM demanded an explanation for the heavy police deployment in Delhi.
CM Reddy Questions Voter Data, Alleges Creation of 'Two Classes'
The BJP was the only party gaining political advantage from the actions being taken by Gyanesh Kumar. Changes made to the voters' list have contributed to the BJP's electoral successes in states where the party holds some influence. The CM demanded complete transparency in the revision of the voters' list and insisted that measures be taken to ensure the names of eligible voters are not removed, the release said.
CM Revanth Reddy pointed out that the number of voters was 81 crore in the country when Narendra Modi first contested for the post of Prime Minister in 2014. Voters rose to 91 crore in 2019 and reached approximately 97 crore by the 2024 elections. The Chief Minister alleged that 13 crore votes had already been deleted by 2026 and expressed concern over a conspiracy to increase the number of deleted votes to 20 crore, it added.
The Chief Minister urged a thorough review of the country's population from 2014 compared to the present. The CM questioned the reason behind the decline in the number of voters despite the growing population and demanded an explanation from the Election Commission regarding whether the voter count should rise when the population grows. The CM also called upon the President and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to respond to this issue, emphasising the need for constitutional institutions to address the public's concerns.
CM Revanth Reddy expressed concern that a peculiar situation is emerging in the country where two distinct classes are being created, those who possess the right to vote and those who do not. There is an attempt to divide the public into the rich and the poor and undermine the voting rights of the underprivileged. The CM suspected that voters' names are being deleted based on political calculations, specifically, the assumption that the wealthy support the BJP while the poor oppose it. The Chief Minister called for foil any attempt to relegate certain sections of society to the status of second-class citizens by stripping them of their voting rights. The CM emphasised that every citizen must enjoy the equal rights guaranteed by the Constitution and all sections of society, including the poor, Dalits, and tribals, must possess the right to vote, the release said.
'Struggle to protect democracy will be intensified'
CM Revanth Reddy noted that the "Simon Go Back" slogan had once injected fresh momentum into the freedom struggle. The CM is confident that the"Gyanesh Go Back" movement, launched under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, will restore democracy and protect voting rights across the country. The CM highlighted that while the Gandhi family fought for the nation's independence, Rahul Gandhi is now fighting to safeguard the people's right to vote through the "Vote Theft" campaign.
The Chief Minister emphasised the need to carry the ongoing struggle forward like the freedom movement. CM Revanth Reddy alleged that leaders of the BJP and its ideological mentor, the RSS, had previously expressed views suggesting that the poor, Dalits, and tribals should not have the right to vote, the release said.
The CM also recalled that Babasaheb Ambedkar had secured the right to vote for people from all sections of society. Everyone now bears the responsibility of safeguarding this right. The Chief Minister demanded that attempts to remove the names of eligible individuals from the voters' list be stopped and called for measures to instil public confidence in the electoral process. The CM affirmed that the Congress party and the INDIA alliance would intensify the struggle to protect the right to vote, the release said.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, ministers, PCC President Mahesh Kumar Goud, AICC observer Sachin Sawant, MPs, MLAs, MLCs, and other important leaders participated. (ANI)
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