Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday asked if a government “formed by stealing votes” can ever have the intention of serving the public as he joined the second leg of the Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar.
"Dear Voters of India, I want to ask you all a straightforward question - can a government formed by stealing votes ever have the intention of serving the public? No, right! They don’t even need your votes, so they don’t care about your problems either. The current situation is before you - Record-breaking unemployment is ruining the future of the youth. The government keeps filling the coffers of capitalists! Scams like NEET, SSC, and paper leaks have destroyed the careers of millions of students. The government has simply turned a blind eye!" Rahul wrote on X.
Rahul, who returned to Bihar after a day’s break, joined the Yatra in Lakhisarai district, after it was flagged off by his ally RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav in Sheikhpura.
Both leaders, heading the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Bihar Assembly, stood atop an open vehicle, dressed in white T-shirts and caps, waving to crowds as party songs played in the background.
"Inflation is touching the sky, making life unbearable for the common man. Yet, the government keeps increasing taxes! Train accidents and the collapse of basic infrastructure like roads and bridges have led to the untimely deaths of hundreds of innocent people. But the government hasn’t even fixed accountability," the leader of the Opposition said on X.
The Congress MP said that incidents of violence from Poonch to Manipur had gone unaddressed, while crises such as demonetisation, COVID-19, and the farmers’ protests had claimed countless lives without the Prime Minister offering help.
During his stop in Aurangabad, Rahul interacted with young people about unemployment, corruption, and voter rights.
"If you could change one thing in Bihar, what would it be?" Gandhi asked. "Government," came the reply. The exchange led to a discussion on money, voter lists, and governance.
Another youth added, "GST is being taken away from the 500's form. GST is being taken away from the college as well."
When asked what message they wanted to give the Prime Minister, one said: "When the election comes, they should not do what the Hindu-Muslims do. Modi ji said that black money will disappear. We will make them disappear."
Employment concerns dominated the conversation. "I have studied a lot, but there is no employment for that."
Complaints over voter list revision were consistent. "Those who have a voter ID card, those who have voted four times, they have also been cut off," one said.
One of them, who introduced himself as Lalu Kumar Yadav, explained his name: "When Lalu Prasad Yadav came to power, I was born. That's why I was named Lalu Kumar Yadav. I have studied till 12th standard. But I don't work to earn money."
The Yatra, which began in Sasaram on August 17 and is set to conclude with a rally in Patna on September 1, seeks to build public opinion against the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls ahead of the assembly elections.