New Delhi [India], June 26 (ANI): Congress leader Pawan Khera on Thursday said the party has been demanding the machine-readable, digital voter list of Maharashtra and polling day video footage from Maharashtra and Haryana since 2024.

He added that there was a five-month gap between the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Maharashtra, during which 40 lakh new voters were added, raising serious concerns.

Khera said the Congress will meet the Election Commission and share its analysis after receiving the requested data.

Speaking to ANI, Pawan Khera said, 'We have been saying since 2024 that we need both the digital machine-readable voter list of Maharashtra Lok Sabha elections and the digital machine-readable voter list of Maharashtra Assembly elections. There was a gap of 5 months between these two elections. In these 5 months, 40 lakh new votes have been added, so first, give us the digital machine-readable voter list. Give us the video footage of Maharashtra Assembly elections and Haryana Assembly elections, we are ready to come after that...'

After the Election Commission invited Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for talks over his allegations regarding the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly polls, the Congress party on Thursday responded through a letter.

The Congress party has urged the Election Commission to share a digital, machine-readable copy of the Maharashtra voter list and polling day video footage from both Maharashtra and Haryana within a week, saying they will meet the EC and present their analysis once the data is received.

In the letter, the Congress party wrote, 'We request you to provide us with a machine-readable, digital copy of the Maharashtra voter lists and video footage of the polling day of Maharashtra and Haryana within a week from the date of this letter. This has been a long-standing request that should be easy for the EC to comply with. The Congress party leadership will be happy to meet with the EC soon after we have received these. In that meeting, we will even present our analysis findings to you.'

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had earlier called upon the Election Commission to publish consolidated, digital, machine-readable voter rolls for the most recent elections to the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas of all states, including Maharashtra, saying that 'telling the truth' will protect the poll panel's credibility.

Khera also hit back at Union Minister Amit Shah's remarks, calling the comments cowardly and accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of lacking the courage shown by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during the 1971 war.

He said Indira Gandhi stood up to global powers like the US, while PM Modi is afraid of China and America, giving them a 'clean chit' and pulling back the army instead of taking strong action.

'This is a cowardly comment... They will not talk about 1971, which is a proud moment for the country. During Operation Sindoor, it was Indira Gandhi and not PM Narendra Modi who was trending... In 1971, the country was not as strong as it is today, yet Indira Gandhi had the courage to look into Nixon's (former US President) eyes. He (PM Modi) is afraid of China, gives them a clean chit, is afraid of America, and withdraws the army. If he were not afraid of America, the army would have achieved a lot,' Khera said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed a gathering at the first-ever event organised to commemorate 25th June as 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas' (Constitution Killing Day), pointing out that the Emergency was imposed on the day.

Terming the imposition of Emergency in India for 21 months from 1975 to 1977, the Home Minister said, 'Bad incidents usually should be forgotten in life. And it is correct, but when it relates to social life and national life, then bad incidents should be remembered forever, so that the youth and teenagers of the country are cultured, organised, ready to defend, and ensure that such bad incidents are never repeated again.' (ANI)