New Delhi, Dec 14 (IANS) Rajendra Pal Gautam, Chairman of the Congress' SC/ST wing, delivered a fiery address at the "Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod" rally in New Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, invoking the legacy of B.R. Ambedkar to warn against what he described as systematic attempts to undermine democracy.
Gautam reminded the gathering of India's historical struggle for universal suffrage, noting that before 1937, voting rights were restricted to income tax payers, landlords and graduates, while Dalits and other marginalised groups were denied education and political participation.
"Those who do not know history cannot make history," he said, stressing that Babasaheb Ambedkar fought relentlessly to secure equal rights for all citizens.
He recalled that the Government of India Act of 1935 enshrined the principle of "one man, one vote, one value", and highlighted Dr. Ambedkar's role as the country's Labour Minister in reducing working hours from 14 to eight, framing irrigation and land rights, and serving on 13 of the 18 committees involved in drafting the Indian Constitution.
"India has 6,743 castes and multiple religions, yet Babasaheb studied Constitutions across the world to give us a well-defined Charter for this great country," Gautam said.
Turning to contemporary politics, the Congress leader accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of launching a "forged movement" under the so-called Gujarat Model, alleging that fake scams such as Coalgate, 2G spectrum and Commonwealth Games were used to discredit political opponents.
He claimed that social activists like Anna Hazare were deployed to propagate this narrative.
Gautam charged that elections themselves are being stolen.
"They (BJP) are putting time machines in EVMs and stealing elections. They have sold all PSUs, made education so costly that none can afford it, and turned government jobs into contractual posts. This is an effort to end democracy," he declared.
He insisted that the rally was not merely a Congress initiative but a broader fight to safeguard the Constitution of the country.
""Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod" is not just our slogan. We will save the Constitution," Gautam said, urging citizens to resist what he described as an assault on their democratic rights.
The speech added to the chorus of Congress leaders at the rally, who accused the Election Commission of collusion and vowed to continue the campaign against "vote chori" nationwide.
--IANS
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