Rahul Calls CEC's 'Public Impeachment' a Weapon Against Vote Destruction

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said the "public impeachment" of Gyanesh Kumar is a "political weapon" targeted at those who "colluded" to destroy the votes of the Indian people, asserting that the chief election commissioner should be tried in court for treason.

Supporting a resolution to impeach Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kumar, Gandhi said it is strange that the opposition MPs and leaders had to gather in the garden of the (Rajya Sabha) leader of opposition's residence as all other institutions were shut for them.

"I fully support the motion to impeach Gyanesh Kumar, who should be tried for treason in court and justice should be served," Gandhi said while concluding his speech.

Thereafter, the resolution to remove the CEC was passed unanimously with the raising of hands.

The symbolic "public impeachment" was held at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at 10, Rajaji Marg.

Gandhi said the opposition held the impeachment proceedings in a garden "because we had no other option, as every single institution is closed to us".

"I don't think anything like this has ever happened in history: the entire opposition sitting in a garden to discuss the impeachment of the chief election commissioner of India," Gandhi said.

He also said that 250 opposition MPs, civil society members and mediapersons sitting at the leader of opposition's residence was "quite absurd".

"It is absurd that the entire opposition is sitting in a garden and discussing the impeachment of the chief election commissioner of India.

"This may look like a meeting of MPs and ordinary citizens, but it is, in fact, a political weapon aimed directly at every single person who colluded to destroy the votes of the Indian people.

"People gathered here have a message for the Gyanesh Kumars of this world: You are hiding behind the institution you have sworn to protect. Remember, you cannot hide behind it forever. One day, you will have to face the representatives of the people of this country," Gandhi said, while supporting the resolution moved by Kharge.

"Gyanesh Kumar will not survive as the CEC. We have enough evidence to ensure that this gentleman does not continue in office. If the BJP insists on retaining him even after we reveal, its game will be clear for everyone to see," Gandhi said.

The Congress leader said that 13.3 crore votes have been deleted, which means 130 million voters, accounting for 15 per cent of India's electorate.

And the difference between the opposition and those who won the 2024 elections was only 3 per cent, which means the Election Commission itself is stating that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections were "illegal", Gandhi claimed.

"You cannot delete 13.3 crore votes and argue that the 2024 elections were legal," he said.