Congress MP Tells Trump: 'Take CEC Gyanesh Kumar to America, We'll Send EVMs'
Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Pawan Khera on Tuesday responded sarcastically to US President Donald Trump's post about India's election system, asking him to take Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar to America and keep him there. In a post on X, Khera also offered to send India's Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) by the next available flight.
"Please take Gyanesh Kumar Gupta to America. And keep him there. We will send our EVMs too by the next available flight," Khera wrote. "For all the insults and bullying you've sent our way, this is the least we can do for you." His post was accompanied by a graphic that read "To SIR With Love, from India."
Khera's remarks came in response to Trump's post on his social media platform Truth Social, in which the US President cited CEC Gyanesh Kumar and highlighted India's voter photo ID requirements to advocate for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act.
"Earlier this month, India's Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, asked our Administration — How can you have Elections in the U.S. without a valid Photo ID? India's last Election had 646,000,000 Voters! Less than 1% voted by mail, and every single Voter had to have a VALID Photo Identity Document. We need to pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT, now!" Trump had posted on Truth Social.
The SAVE Act, if enacted, would require Americans to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote, impose a nationwide voter identification requirement, and significantly restrict mail-in voting. Proponents argue that such measures are necessary to prevent non-citizens from voting and to ensure election integrity. Critics, however, say the law would disproportionately affect minority and low-income voters who may lack easy access to the required documents.
India's election system, which uses EVMs and mandatory voter ID, has been praised for its scale and efficiency. At the same time, EVM reliability has been a subject of debate within India. Some opposition parties have expressed doubts about the machines and have demanded a return to paper ballots. The Election Commission has refuted these concerns, stating that EVMs are tamper-proof and have been used in multiple elections with high voter confidence.
Gyanesh Kumar, a senior bureaucrat, is the current Chief Election Commissioner. His remarks, as quoted by Trump, appear to have been part of a broader conversation about election security, though the original context has not been independently verified.
Khera's sarcastic response has generated significant buzz on social media, with users interpreting it as a critique of Trump's selective praise of India's democratic processes. Khera's post did not elaborate on the "insults and bullying" he mentioned, leaving room for interpretation. No officials from the Election Commission or the Ministry of External Affairs have commented on the exchange so far.
The episode underscores the growing international discourse on electoral integrity, with India's electoral machinery being used as a reference point in foreign political debates. It also highlights how domestic political actors in India use international statements to make their own political points.
