SHILLONG, Aug 14: The Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Thursday held a candlelight vigil at Congress Bhavan, Shillong, as part of its ongoing #Vote Chori campaign — an initiative to protest what it terms as the “theft of people’s mandate” through manipulation of electoral rolls and misuse of government institutions.
The vigil was attended by members of the MPCC, the Meghalaya Pradesh Mahila Congress (MPMC), and the Youth Congress.
The protest aimed to highlight growing concerns over electoral malpractice and what Congress alleges is a systematic subversion of democratic processes under the current regime at the Centre.
Addressing the gathering, Chairman of the MPCC Social Media Department, Lang Kupar War said the deletion of citizens’ names from electoral rolls and other such irregularities amounted to a direct attack on the Constitution. “If the vote of a citizen is taken away, if their EPIC (Electors Photo Identity Card) is deleted, it is nothing short of a frontal assault on our democratic foundations,” War said.
He said, “This protest is not just about the Congress or the BJP—it’s about defending the rights of ordinary citizens.”
War accused the central government of weaponising institutions like the Election Commission of India (ECI), the CBI, and the Enforcement Directorate to target opposition voices and erode democratic checks and balances.
“This is a clear attempt to suppress dissent and undermine the electoral process. Democracy is being trampled,” he added.
Echoing similar concerns, MPMC president Joplyn Shylla said the ECI, as the constitutional guardian of India’s democracy, is duty-bound to conduct free and fair elections. However, she noted growing apprehensions about the Commission’s impartiality.
“Allegations of voter intimidation, manipulation of electoral rolls, and mishandling of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), including their unauthorized movement without proper security, have raised serious doubts,” Shylla stated.
She emphasized that the Election Commission’s failure to act decisively sends a dangerous message—that powerful political actors can act with impunity.
“When the ECI remains silent or biased, it’s not just the vote that is stolen since it’s the voice of the people that is silenced. India’s democracy deserves transparency, accountability, and above all, integrity in its electoral processes,” Shylla said.
The Congress’s #VoteChori campaign continues to gain traction, with the grand-old party urging citizens and institutions alike to stand up against what it sees as a growing threat to democratic governance.
