Shimla, Nov 1 (PTI) The BJP does not steal votes; it steals hearts, said Assam Chief Minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma while addressing the party's 'save democracy, remove anarchy' padyatra in Shimla on Sunday.
"The Congress is not only losing on EVMs but also on ballot papers, as seen in the recent elections for Member of Legislative Council in various states. This is because the BJP does not steal votes; it steals hearts," he said.
Launching a sharp political attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the Congress-led government of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, he said that Congress leaders were protesting against the same electronic voting machines that helped bring their government to power in Himachal Pradesh.
Sarma challenged Rahul Gandhi to clarify his victory from Rae Bareli and his position as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and also pressed Sukhu to explain why he continues to hold office based on a mandate obtained through those very machines.
He alleged that Congress accepts EVMs when it wins elections in Karnataka, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh but questions the Election Commission and electoral process whenever the BJP emerges victorious.
The Assam chief minister strongly defended the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, emphasising that maintaining accurate voter lists is essential for safeguarding the integrity of Indian democracy.
He said every eligible Indian citizen must retain the right to vote and that ineligible entries should be addressed strictly in accordance with the law.
The BJP's padyatra began at Gurdwara Sahib Parking near the Old Local Bus Stand in Shimla, progressed through Victory Tunnel and the Vidhan Sabha road, and concluded with a large public rally at Chaura Maidan (Chhota Maidan), where senior BJP leaders spoke.
Accusing Congress of invoking political developments in Bangladesh and Nepal to create an atmosphere of instability in India, Sarma said that "India is not Bangladesh. India is a democracy where governments change through the votes of the people, not through political intimidation or street-level anarchy".
Referring to the significance of November 1, Sarma raised the issue of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots following the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi and recalled the killing of thousands of Sikhs in Delhi and other parts of the country and questioned the Congress leadership's historical accountability.
Sarma demanded that Rahul Gandhi publicly apologise for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots before speaking about saving democracy, stating that, "Congress must answer the painful questions arising from the 1984 anti-Sikh riots."
Comparing the BJP government's performance in Assam with the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, Sarma said that his government had promised one lakh government jobs and, according to him, had provided employment to approximately 1.07 lakh young people.
He accused the Congress government of failing to deliver on its major election commitment to create five lakh jobs in five years, betraying the expectations of unemployed youth.
He said that Congress should examine its organisational weaknesses and unfulfilled promises rather than blaming the voting system for electoral defeats.
"The people of Himachal Pradesh must prepare to give Congress a decisive democratic answer in 2027. The BJP will return with a strong mandate and establish a government committed to good governance, development and public accountability, Sarma said.
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)