‘Your future is being stolen’: Rahul Gandhi’s Gen Z message amid ‘vote chori’ row

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday made a strong appeal to India’s Gen Z, calling on the country’s youngest and most digitally connected generation to “take charge of their future” and “stand up for democracy.” Speaking at his third press conference on “vote chori” (vote theft) since August, the Congress MP alleged that the future of India’s youth was being “stolen” through what he described as large-scale voter fraud in Haryana — the latest in a series of claims he has made against the BJP and the Election Commission.

“I want Gen Z to take this seriously because your future is being taken away from you. They are the ones being stolen from,” Gandhi said in Delhi, urging young voters to see themselves as protectors of democratic values. His presentation concluded with a slide that read, “India’s Gen Z and youth have the power to restore our democracy with satya and ahimsa (truth and non-violence).”

The Leader of the Opposition claimed that 2.5 million fake voters were registered in Haryana, citing the example of a “Brazilian model” who allegedly voted 22 times under different names across 10 booths. He accused the Election Commission and the BJP of manipulating voter rolls to favor the ruling party.

Gandhi’s latest press conference came just two days before polling in Bihar, where the Congress is hoping to unseat the BJP–JDU alliance. His continued focus on the younger generation — particularly the digitally active Gen Z — is seen as part of a broader strategy to channel youth frustration over unemployment, corruption, and inequality into a movement to “save the Constitution.”

In recent months, Gandhi has drawn parallels between India’s youth and the student-led protests that shook neighboring Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. His messaging, invoking “truth” and “non-violence,” mirrors these movements’ moral tone while positioning Gen Z as the torchbearers of democratic renewal in India.

Union Minister and BJP leader Kiren Rijiju quickly dismissed Gandhi’s claims as “baseless narratives” meant to distract voters. “Rahul Gandhi addressed the press to hide his failures. There will be polling in Bihar tomorrow, yet he was talking about Haryana. This shows the Congress has nothing left in Bihar and is trying to divert attention,” Rijiju said.

Taking a swipe at Gandhi’s foreign trips, he added, “During elections, he goes abroad. During Parliament sessions, he secretly visits places like Cambodia and Thailand. Now, during the Bihar elections, he went to Colombia. When he goes abroad, he brings back certain ideas, gives them to his team, and they prepare these baseless narratives, wasting everyone’s time.”

Other BJP leaders also accused Gandhi of trying to “provoke unrest” among young voters. “Gen Z is against dynastic politics. Why would they tolerate Rahul after Nehru, Indira, Rajiv, and Sonia?” BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said, highlighting the Congress leader’s family legacy.