Rahul Gandhi slams Rajiv Ranjan Singh for his voter ID-linked welfare payments statement

Linking Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh's remarks about replacing Aadhaar with voter IDs and biometrics for welfare payments to the SIR exercise, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Friday said the statement revealed "a deeply sinister plot". What the Panchayati Raj Minister said goes beyond just "vote chori", Gandhi said. "This is theft of rights."

Gandhi's remarks drew a sharp reaction from Rajiv Ranjan Singh, alias Lalan Singh, who said the Congress leader has "mastered the art of distorting facts."

Earlier in the day, Gandhi shared on X a video of Singh making the statement, and said the minister announced that eligibility for government schemes will no longer be determined by Aadhaar, but by one's Voter ID. "This is a deeply sinister plot." the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha wrote in his post in Hindi. "Take a moment to understand it."

"Millions of names are being struck off the electoral rolls -- and if this is not stopped, many more will be removed. Whose names are being targeted? Primarily those who are angry with the BJP," Gandhi added.

"The electoral roll should be managed by an impartial Election Commission; instead, it is in the hands of Gyanesh Kumar -- an official of the Modi government -- who has been caught, with evidence, colluding with BJP to steal votes," he alleged.

The plan is to curate an electoral roll that ensures a permanent majority for the BJP, he said. "And now, this very list will determine whether or not you receive the benefits of government schemes."

"If you decide to oppose the BJP, your name will be selectively removed from the list. No name -- no vote. No vote -- no rights. Before you know it, you will become an 'invisible' citizen in a hijacked democracy -- a system where the people do not choose the government, rather, the government chooses its people," he said, adding, "Today, it concerns Panchayati Raj schemes. Tomorrow, rations? Pensions? MNREGA? Housing? Scholarships? Reservations?"

"A poor person's pension cannot be held hostage to their Voter Id. This is not just the theft of votes -- it is the theft of your rights. We will not let this happen," he said.

Reacting sharply to Gandhi's remarks, Singh accused him of "distorting facts". "The government is committed to ensuring that benefits reach the genuine beneficiaries directly, leaving no scope for middlemen to misuse the system."

"The Pradhan Mantri Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana (PM VGSY) aims to provide essential training and guidance to every eligible Panchayat representative and individuals associated with a Panchayat. Under this scheme, the identity of the trainees will be verified using their EPIC number and biometric-based Aadhaar authentication," he said in a video message on X.