Rahul Gandhi calls Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh's voter ID welfare remarks a sinister plot

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday slammed Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh over his remarks on replacing Aadhaar with voter IDs and biometrics for welfare payments, calling the statement a deeply sinister plot. Gandhi stated on X that the Panchayati Raj Minister's announcement goes beyond just vote theft and amounts to the theft of citizen rights. He shared a video of Singh making the statement, noting that eligibility for government schemes would now be determined by voter IDs instead of Aadhaar.

Allegations And Reactions

Gandhi alleged that millions of names are being struck off electoral rolls to target voters who are angry with the BJP, aiming to curate a list that ensures a permanent majority for the ruling party. He claimed that the electoral list is being managed by Gyanesh Kumar, an official of the Modi government whom he accused of colluding with the BJP. Singh reacted sharply to these remarks, accusing the Congress leader of mastering the art of distorting facts. The minister stated in a video message on X that the government is committed to ensuring benefits reach genuine beneficiaries directly without middlemen.

Scheme Details

Singh explained that under the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana, the identity of trainees will be verified using their EPIC number and biometric-based Aadhaar authentication. During the National Workshop on People's Plan Campaign 2026-27 on October 30, Singh had stated that Aadhaar cards would no longer serve as the basis for making payments to beneficiaries, which would instead be processed using biometrics and voter ID numbers. Gandhi warned that if such plans proceed, welfare benefits like rations, pensions, MNREGA, housing, scholarships, and reservations could be tied to selective voter lists.

Context

Debates over identity verification documents like Aadhaar and voter IDs frequently emerge in national politics regarding welfare delivery and election integrity. Welfare schemes in India rely on digital verification to prevent fraud, while opposition parties routinely question the administrative mechanisms used for both targeting benefits and managing electoral rolls.