B. R. Patil challenges 272 signatories who wrote to Rahul Gandhi to come to Aland

Aland Congress MLA B. R. Patil has responded to 272 former judges, diplomats and Army personnel, who had written to Rahul Gandhi alleging he was “defaming” Election Commission of India (ECI) with vote chori allegations, inviting them to Aland to verify the claims themselves.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is probing voter fraud in Aland where 5,994 votes were attempted to be deleted through fraudulent means, in February, 2023. The Hindu had reported how the probe had been stonewalled with the EC not responding to investigators’ requests for specific technical data.

“I was surprised and amused to read your open letter where you defended the Election Commission of India against all the serious evidence which shows that they are increasingly derelict in their duty,” Mr. Patil said in his open letter addressed to 272 signatories of the letter to Mr. Gandhi.

He challenged the signatories to visit Aland and “face the people whose votes were almost stolen. See the evidence of organised deletion with your own eyes. Then explain to the victims and the rest of the country why you defended the system instead of defending the voter”.

“What is one to make of this behaviour of inaction, blocking, denial, and cover-up? This is not appropriate behaviour for a fair and unbiased guardian of the election process. Your letter defends this partisan and constitutionally abhorrent behaviour. Rahul Gandhi did not create the doubts about the ECI that exist in people’s hearts and minds, he has only exposed the fraud and placed this case before the nation,” Mr. Patil said in his letter.