'Did the same with Gandhiji': Rahul Gandhi slams RSS for personal attacks; flags concern over 'vote theft'

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) relies on personal attacks to target its opponents, claiming the same tactic was used against Mahatma Gandhi.

Gandhi made the remarks during an interaction with Mahagathbandhan allies in Bihar, a video of which he later shared on his X handle. In a post in Hindi on X, he wrote: "Travel, vote theft, and Gandhi ji - a political discussion as lively as the hot tea and pakoras with coalition allies."



In the clip, he is seen having tea at a roadside eatery on Sunday along with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, Vikassheel Insaan Party's (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani, Mahatma Gandhi’s great-grandson Tushar Gandhi, Bihar Congress president Akhilesh Kumar and party leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan.
"The RSS method of attacking is (making) personal attacks. They used to do it with Gandhi ji all the time. People don't know, don't remember the amount of abuse and defamation heaped on him (Gandhi) by the RSS. How much they lied about him, this is their style," the Leader of Opposition said.

Tushar Gandhi added that earlier political debates despite being strong and heated, avoided personal abuse. "Now it has been legitimised," he said.

Tejashwi Yadav said this trend had intensified after 2014. "They abused Karpoori Thakur ji and then had to give him a Bharat Ratna," Yadav said.

Speaking on alleged “vote chori,” Yadav claimed people used to feel their votes were not reflected in the results, but now evidence has surfaced that points towards electoral malpractice. He accused the Election Commission of working in “collusion” with the BJP. He added that Whatever Prime Minister Modi says, the Election Commissioner follows.

VIP chief Sahani also echoed these concerns, stating that many voters who supported the INDIA bloc felt the results were manipulated.

"Now that you (Rahul Gandhi) have brought out the facts, people know that something is wrong and Modi ji is doing some 'hera pheri'. Their (BJP's) voters have also started to believe so," the VIP chief said.

He along with other Congress leaders, praised the Voter Adhikar Yatra and the public participation it has drawn.

The Voter Adhikar Yatra was launched on August 17 from Sasaram. It is a 16-day march across Bihar to protest against the Election Commission’s special revision of electoral rolls. Supported by all Mahagathbandhan allies, it will cover over 1,300 km and conclude with a rally in Patna on September 1.

So far, the march has passed through districts including Gaya, Nawada, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai, Munger, Katihar and Purnea. It will also cover Madhubani, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, West Champaran, Saran, Bhojpur and Patna.

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