Rahul Gandhi Begins 16-Day, 1,300-km ‘Vote Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar
As the Bihar Assembly polls draw near, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has kick-started a 16-day, 1,300-km “Vote Adhikar Yatra” from Sasaram in Bihar on Sunday. This yatra aims to demand electoral reforms and highlight alleged irregularities in the voter list during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The Yatra will cover over 20 districts and is scheduled to culminate in Patna on September 1.
The “Vote Adhikar Yatra” is a massive undertaking that will see Rahul Gandhi traversing through the length and breadth of Bihar, engaging with citizens, and listening to their grievances. The Yatra is a testament to the Congress party’s commitment to ensuring free and fair polls in the state.
Rahul Gandhi kicked off the Yatra from Sasaram’s historic Gandhi Maidan, where he was joined by senior Congress leaders and workers. Addressing the gathering, Rahul Gandhi said that the Yatra was aimed at ensuring that every citizen’s right to vote is protected. He also criticized the Bihar government for allegedly tampering with the voter list, which he claimed was a brazen attempt to rig the elections.
“The Bihar government is trying to suppress the people’s voice by tampering with the voter list. We will not let this happen. We will ensure that every citizen’s right to vote is protected,” Rahul Gandhi said.
The Congress leader also accused the Bihar government of using the SIR exercise to cleanse the voter list of opposition supporters. He claimed that the government was trying to disenfranchise lakhs of voters, mainly from the Dalit and backward classes, to ensure a favorable outcome in the polls.
“The SIR exercise is just a sham. It is an attempt to cleanse the voter list of opposition supporters. We demand that the government stops this exercise and ensures that every citizen’s name is included in the voter list,” Rahul Gandhi said.
The Congress party has been vocal about its concerns over the SIR exercise, which was launched by the Bihar government in April. The party claims that the exercise has been marred by irregularities and has led to the removal of lakhs of voters from the electoral rolls.
The “Vote Adhikar Yatra” is a significant move by the Congress party, which has been trying to regain its lost ground in Bihar. The party has been absent from power in the state for over three decades and is looking to make a comeback in the forthcoming polls.
The Yatra will cover over 20 districts, including Saharsa, Madhepura, Supaul, Araria, Kishanganj, Katihar, Purnia, Bhagalpur, Munger, Lakhisarai, Sheikhpura, Nalanda, Patna, Bhojpur, Buxar, Kaimur, Rohtas, Siwan, Saran, Vaishali, and Muzaffarpur.
During the Yatra, Rahul Gandhi will hold public meetings, interact with citizens, and listen to their grievances. He will also visit villages and towns, where he will highlight the alleged irregularities in the voter list and demand electoral reforms.
The “Vote Adhikar Yatra” is a bold move by Rahul Gandhi, who has been critical of the Election Commission of India (ECI) for its handling of the voter list revision exercise. The ECI has been accused of being biased towards the ruling party and has been criticized for its handling of the SIR exercise.
The Yatra is also seen as a move to counter the ruling NDA’s “Vijay Sankalp Yatra”, which was launched by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in June. The NDA’s yatra is aimed at campaigning for the party’s candidates and highlighting its development work in the state.
As Rahul Gandhi embarks on this massive Yatra, the Congress party is hoping to gain traction in Bihar and make a comeback in the polls. The party has been working hard to rebuild its organization in the state and has been trying to woo Dalit and backward classes voters, who are a crucial voting bloc in Bihar.
The “Vote Adhikar Yatra” is a significant move by the Congress party, which has been struggling to regain its lost ground in Bihar. The party is hoping that the Yatra will help it to connect with citizens, highlight the alleged irregularities in the voter list, and demand electoral reforms.
As Rahul Gandhi traverses through the length and breadth of Bihar, the Congress party is hoping that the Yatra will help it to make a comeback in the polls and ensure that every citizen’s right to vote is protected.
