Controversial Congress leader Sam Pitroda has voiced strong doubts about the fairness of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, questioning the transparency of the electoral process and the reliability of electronic voting machines (EVMs). Sam Pitroda, who currently serves as the Chairperson of the Indian Overseas Congress and is coordinating Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s outreach tour to the United States, made these comments during an interaction in Virginia.
Sam Pitroda pointed out that despite the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) not securing a majority in the elections, he remains sceptical about the integrity of the process. He remarked, “I think the basic change after the elections is that the people of India voted for democracy. The people of India ensured that BJP does not get more than 400 seats. It was heartwarming to see how people voted.”
Despite the results, Sam Pitroda raised doubts about the legitimacy of the process, particularly highlighting concerns about the EVMs. He stressed that in his opinion, the elections were not conducted fairly, stating, “I know unfortunately little too much about the electronic voting machine process, the entire logistics, and what could go wrong and how it can be manipulated. It’s not foolproof, no matter what anybody says.”
Sam Pitroda also pointed to the Congress party’s financial struggles ahead of the elections, citing the freezing of the party’s bank accounts by the Income Tax department for alleged tax defaults. The move, he argued, severely hampered their election campaign by limiting their access to funds. He described this action as part of a larger attack on democratic institutions, making it challenging to ensure a level playing field in the elections.
“In an environment where the Congress Party’s bank accounts were frozen, institutions were captured… it is hard to get a fair election,” Sam Pitroda emphasized, underscoring the financial and institutional pressures faced by the opposition in the run-up to the polls.
These remarks come just months after Sam Pitroda’s controversial return as the head of the Indian Overseas Congress, following his resignation due to comments during the previous Lok Sabha elections. He had stirred a major controversy by making racially charged remarks, which led to widespread outrage.
Currently accompanying Rahul Gandhi on his US tour, Sam Pitroda is part of the Congress leader’s effort to engage with the Indian diaspora and American lawmakers.
