Kapil Sibal hails Rahul Gandhi as 'true patriot' for bringing to light 'massive electoral fraud'

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Thursday hailed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for disclosing "astounding facts" bringing to light "massive electoral fraud" and accused the Election Commission of becoming an "agent" of the government.

Sibal called for proper investigation of the claims made by Gandhi and said that citizenship of those found complicit in this "electoral fraud" must be revoked.

"Today, in a press conference, Rahul Gandhi disclosed some astounding facts on the nature of manipulation that took place in Karnataka, specifically in just one constituency. What does this tell us? It clearly indicates that massive electoral fraud is taking place across the country," he said at a press conference.

"In Maharashtra, it was the addition of votes; in Karnataka and Delhi, as we now know, it is the manipulation of votes; in Bihar, it is the deletion of votes. This is the scale and nature of the fraud happening.

"I believe Rahul Gandhi has done a yeoman service to the nation for having placed these facts and have the courage to present them before the people of this country. Only a true patriot can do that," the former Union minister said.

He said the people of country have to bring to the fore what is happening to our democracy and how the "EC has become an agent of the government in power".

The Independent Rajya Sabha MP said instead of stating that it would investigate the matter the EC has asked Gandhi to submit an affidavit knowing fully well that it would be dismissed as it is not within the stipulated 30-day period.

"When these facts were disclosed, the EC would have said we will have a full investigation and place facts before people. But EC asks him to submit affidavit," Sibal said and pointed out that such an affidavit can only be filed within a 30-day period.

Gandhi on Thursday made explosive claims of a "huge criminal fraud" in polls through collusion between the BJP and the Election Commission, as he cited an analysis in a constituency in Karnataka and said it was "a crime against the Constitution".

The leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha also said that the judiciary needs to get involved in this because "the democracy that we love so much, does not exist anymore".

Addressing a press conference at the AICC's Indira Bhawan headquarters here, Gandhi said what his party had collected through research was "criminal evidence" and alleged that the EC was busy destroying such proof across the country.

He said over one lakh votes in the Mahadevapura assembly constituency in Karnataka were found to be fake, duplicate, bulk voters, with invalid addresses and new voters of over 90 years of age added with misuse of Form 6.