'Once the opposition comes to power, we are coming after you': Key Rahul Gandhi quotes from 'Vote Chori' press meet against EC

The Election Commission is colluding with the BJP to destroy the election system in India, Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, alleged on Thursday.

Rahul Gandhi alleged that fake names were being added to voter lists to help the BJP win elections illegally. The model is being implemented across the country, and if the Election Commission (EC) has no role in it, they must come clean by providing the opposition with electronic voter lists from the past 10 to 15 years and CCTV footage from the recent polls. He claimed the EC is scared that if the opposition gets hold of the voter lists in electronic format, the "massive theft" will be caught in no time.

• "I'm telling people of India, the youngsters of India — the entire system is being stolen in front of you... What we are giving the nation is crystal clear proof that the only thing that matters for the poor people of this country is being stolen."

• An election was lost due to the manipulation of the voter list. "As long as the EC or the voter list is compromised, EVMs or ballots will not make any difference. The point is not that Congress is losing and BJP is winning, we are seeing the election is rigged and the integrity of the elections is gone and there is a model how it is done."

• "There are going to be consequences for every election officer who is a part of this, no matter how senior or junior you are... Once the opposition comes to power, we are coming after you because we will not let you destroy the foundation of the democracy that our forefathers gave us. If the EC doesn't give us electronic voter data for the last 10-15 years and they don't give us the CCTV footage, they are partaking in the crime. Otherwise, they should give us the electronic voters list."

• "I think the judiciary needs to get involved; our democracy is gone if this is true."

• "If the media was on this side of the equation, they would have said, 'let us check what Rahul Gandhi has said'. Instead, they are saying I should swear an oath. The ball is now in the EC's court. Why can't they say it aloud and do it?"