The political climate in Bihar is charged with accusations concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. Rahul Gandhi, the prominent opposition leader, and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav are accusing the NDA government of electoral misconduct, specifically the act of disenfranchising voters through the manipulation of the electoral rolls. As part of their voter rights campaign, both leaders have launched sharp attacks against the central government and the Election Commission.
In response, BJP’s National President JP Nadda posted a video, taking aim at Rahul Gandhi. The video’s accompanying caption, which sarcastically referenced Gandhi, read “I am still standing where my lie was caught, the truth came out, and I made a fool of myself… I am still standing there.” The video itself presents evidence that contradicts a previous claim. It showcases the same woman who had alleged to Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav that six members of her family were removed from the voter list; however, the video reveals this assertion to be untrue.
During the voter rights campaign, Ranju Devi met with Rahul Gandhi, alleging that her vote had been cancelled. However, the subsequent investigation revealed that her complaint was false. It was discovered that Ranju Devi and her entire family were included in the voter list, with no names having been removed.
Ranju Devi reported that her ward secretary had informed her that her name and that of her family members were not on the voter list. The secretary had then allegedly instructed her to meet with Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav to bring this matter to their attention. As a result, she brought her complaint before the Congress leader.
Ranju Devi clarified that upon independently reviewing the voter list, she found that her name, as well as those of her family members, were present. She noted that she had filed a complaint with Rahul Gandhi because of the advice from the ward secretary. She explained that as villagers, they generally follow what they are told. The secretary allegedly instructed her to inform Rahul Gandhi that six members of her family were missing from the new voter list. The video shows Rahul Gandhi questioning Ranju Devi about her voting history, and upon her confirming she has voted previously, he expresses his surprise at the claim of a missing name.
A social media user commented that the incident has transformed into a PR disaster for Rahul Gandhi. The Election Commission issued him a 7-day ultimatum based on the facts, and now the public is increasingly exposing the falsehoods of the claims. The user characterized the entire incident as a scripted PR event.