A surprising twist emerged in the ongoing debate over alleged voter ID irregularities in Haryana after an old photograph of Brazilian model Larissa surfaced during a press conference by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The image was highlighted as part of visuals claiming that the same photograph appeared on multiple voter ID cards across polling booths.
However, once the image went viral online, the woman in the picture came forward, expressing shock and disbelief at being drawn into an Indian political controversy.
Larissa Reacts: “What Madness”
In a video shared online (translated from Portuguese), Larissa said:
Guys, I can’t believe these people are gossiping. They’re using an old photo of mine; I was 18 or 20 in that photo. They’re portraying me as Indian to scam people. What madness. What craziness is this, what world do we live in?
Her response quickly spread across social platforms, leading to widespread discussion and satire online.
The video gained attention after being reshared by fact-checker Mohammed Zubair, who pointed out that the picture displayed in Rahul Gandhi’s presentation was not of any Indian voter.
Voter Identified: “It Was a Clerical Photo Error”
CNN-News18 later interviewed Pinky Juginder Kaushik, one of the voters whose ID displayed Larissa’s image.
She clarified:
Yes, I went to cast my vote myself. The names were correct, but the photo was someone else’s. I voted normally. No one forced me.
This explanation indicates a clerical mismatch, not identity fraud on the voter’s part.
What Rahul Gandhi Alleged
During the press conference, Rahul Gandhi accused the ruling party in Haryana of “vote chori” (vote theft), claiming:
- The same woman’s photo appeared on multiple voter IDs
- The image was repeated 22 times across at least 10 polling booths
- Congress lost due to fake votes and postal ballot manipulation
He asked, “Yeh kaun hai?” while showing the image.
Government and Election Commission Response
The Haryana government dismissed the claims, calling them misleading.
The Election Commission noted that party polling agents did not raise objections during voting, which is the standard checkpoint for such issues.
Additionally, an investigation by The Indian Express found that some examples shared in the press conference did not align with fraud claims, but instead had logical explanations such as large extended families sharing registered addresses.
Larger Questions Raised
This incident highlights:
- The importance of accurate voter ID data entry
- How quickly misinformation can spread during elections
- The need for fact verification before claims escalate into national debate