Shillong, Nov 12: The Meghalaya unit of the Congress Party has gathered more than 10,000 signatures as part of a nationwide campaign spearheaded by party leader Rahul Gandhi to protest alleged electoral irregularities and what it describes as a growing threat to India’s democratic fabric.
Speaking to the media today, Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) working president Deborah C Marak said the signature drive, launched simultaneously across all states, is part of a national effort to collect 5 crore signatures from citizens demanding electoral accountability.
“The campaign has been well received in Meghalaya. We’ve already collected over 10,000 signatures from across the state and the numbers continue to rise as more people come forward to show their support,” Marak said, adding that the initiative will continue over the coming months.
She urged citizens to stay vigilant and actively engage in defending the integrity of India’s democratic institutions. Alleged fraud and irregularities in the electoral process has been a recurring theme of Gandhi and the Congress in the run-up to the recently-concluded Bihar state election (results of which will be announced on Friday).
“As responsible citizens, we must not remain silent. Silence will only pave the way for authoritarianism,” Marak cautioned.
She said that under Gandhi’s leadership, the Congress has been highlighting what it calls widespread manipulation and “vote theft” in several states, accusing the BJP and the Election Commission of collusion.
“Evidence from states like Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra points to systematic rigging in favour of the ruling party,” she alleged. “These actions threaten the very foundation of our democracy.”
The Congress leader described elections as the cornerstone of the republic and warned that any compromise on free and fair voting endangers citizens’ rights.
“When the electoral process is manipulated, it shakes the roots of our democracy. To stay silent in the face of such authoritarian tendencies is to allow those in power to undermine our institutions and plunder our national spirit,” she added.
