BJP will try to steal votes with all might in Bihar polls, responsibility of youth to stop it: Rahul

Purnea/Araria | Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday alleged that the BJP will try to “steal votes” in the Bihar assembly polls with all its might, and it is the responsibility of the youth to act against it.

Addressing a poll rally here, Gandhi claimed that the BJP was winning elections everywhere by “stealing votes”.

“We have shown the entire world that the BJP and the Election Commission have stolen the Haryana election. I am sure that they would try to steal votes in Bihar, too. And, I believe that the previous election in Bihar was also stolen.

“It is the responsibility of Bihar’s youth to put a stop to this, and save the Constitution... All of you need to be cautious at the polling booths,” the former Congress president said.

Gandhi had on Wednesday alleged that the Haryana assembly polls last year were "stolen", citing electoral list data to claim that 25 lakh entries were fake and the Election Commission colluded with the BJP to ensure the party's victory.

In his address at the Purnea rally, he claimed that “millions of names” have been removed from the voters’ list in Bihar following the special intensive revision of electoral rolls, including “voters of the Mahagathbandhan”.

He also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his comments in poll rallies in Bihar that “he gave cheap data so that the youth can make (social media) reels and earn money”.

The Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha said reels are the “addiction of the 21st century”, and big telecom companies make money as people consume the data.

“What used to happen with alcohol and drugs earlier, is happening today with reels. How much money has come into the pockets of the youth from watching reels? The youth of Bihar need employment, not reels,” Gandhi asserted.

He also alleged that the PM wants a “rule of billionaires where the youth remain jobless”.

At another rally in Araria, Gandhi accused Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of imposing ‘jungle raj’ in the country.

“Nitish Kumar talks about ‘jungle raj’ in Bihar... But, it is the PM and Amit Shah who have imposed ‘jungle raj’ in Delhi, in the entire country, which is witnessing the rule of the ED, CBI, IT, hatred and unemployment. This is the true ‘jungle raj’,” he asserted.

Gandhi also alleged that the prime minister was spreading hatred among people in Bihar and in the country.

“He is creating rift among the people on the basis of caste and religion,” the Rae Bareli MP claimed.

Criticising Kumar, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha accused the CM of turning the state's youth into labourers.

“In Bihar, no work is done for the poor, extremely backward, Dalits and minorities. The government of Bihar is run by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah from Delhi,” claimed Gandhi.

He also alleged that land is given away to big corporates at throwaway prices in the state.

Gandhi said when the INDIA bloc comes to power at the Centre, “which is not far away,” the world's “finest university” will be established in the state, where the future of Bihar's youth will be shaped.

“Work will be done to bring food processing, packaging, and cold chain industries in Bihar. We will connect the ‘tourist circuit’ so that the benefits of tourism reach the state’s youth. Nalanda once had the world's greatest university; we will ensure that its former glory is restored,” the Congress leader said.

He also said the INDIA bloc would transform the state into a manufacturing hub and ensure labels of ‘made-in-Bihar’ on clothes and mobile phones.