Patna, Aug 17 As the INDIA bloc's 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' began from Bihar's Sasaram on Sunday, the Congress declared that the campaign would strengthen the struggle to safeguard democracy and the Constitution.
Launching the yatra, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi alleged that "the BJP and the Election Commission are stealing votes".
He claimed the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in Bihar was "their latest conspiracy to steal elections by adding and deleting votes."
Gandhi also asserted that the INDIA bloc and the people of Bihar would not permit this "vote theft."
Modelled on Gandhi's earlier Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, the campaign will cover 1,300 km across 20 districts, traversing 50 Assembly segments in 29 Lok Sabha constituencies.
Participants will travel partly on foot and partly by vehicle over the course of 16 days.
Former Congress MP Rashid Alvi described the march as a movement against the "injustice done to the 65 lakh voters in Bihar".
"This is a big fight. The deletion of votes by the ECI is a big attack on our country's democracy. Rahul Gandhi is demanding justice for the voters. This is not just the fight of the Congress party; the citizens of the country should join in this. This is a fight to protect democracy," Alvi told IANS.
Criticising the Election Commission of India, he added: "The Election Commission is saying that the opposition has wasted its time. What does this mean? This means that the Election Commission has been sold to the rulers."
Congress MP Tariq Anwar also said the march would highlight the "threats" to the Constitution and democratic values.
Speaking to IANS, Anwar said: "Through this journey, Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav want to make voters aware of their rights and inspire them to use their franchise properly. He wants to make people aware of how our democracy and the Constitution are being attacked."
"This yatra will last for 16 days and will pass through 20 districts, covering a distance of about 1,300 kilometres," he added.
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