Heated exchange between Rahul Gandhi and Amit Shah in Lok Sabha over SIR

NEW DELHI: A heated confrontation unfolded in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday as Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi sparred over allegations of “vote chori” and the government’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Rahul Gandhi accused Shah of failing to answer key questions during the debate on electoral reforms, claiming the Home Minister offered only a “completely defensive” response. Gandhi said he had raised concerns about the transparency of voter lists, demanded the architecture of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), and cited alleged irregular voting by BJP leaders in Haryana and Bihar. “He did not answer any of these points… We are not scared,” Gandhi told reporters after the Opposition walked out of the House.

Earlier, Gandhi interrupted Shah’s speech and challenged him to a debate on his three recent press conferences related to alleged voter manipulation. Shah rebuked him, asserting that the LoP could not dictate the order of parliamentary proceedings and assuring he would respond to every issue “patiently.”

Shah, defending the SIR process, argued that it aims to “sanitize” and correct voter lists—precisely what Gandhi had demanded. He accused the Opposition of double standards, saying they praised the Election Commission when they won elections but dismissed it as biased when they lost.

Escalating the attack, Shah accused Gandhi of “running away” from the House when historical “truths” were presented. He said his references to earlier Congress governments’ policies encouraging infiltration triggered Gandhi’s walkout. Warning that unchecked infiltration endangered India’s demography, Shah declared, “We do not want our children to witness another partition.”

Shah also countered Opposition criticism of the RSS, asserting that no law bars individuals with RSS ideology from holding constitutional posts. Listing what he called Congress’s “anti-people” positions—from opposing Article 370 abrogation and CAA to resisting One Nation One Election—he said these stances had led to the party’s repeated electoral defeats.

Highlighting the Modi government’s welfare and development initiatives, Shah dismissed allegations of “vote chori” and said the public had repeatedly endorsed Prime Minister Modi. Treasury benches responded with loud chants as Shah concluded that “the public is watching everything.”

Following the acrimonious exchange, the Opposition staged a walkout, and the House was adjourned for the day. (Agencies)

 Also Read: BJP slams Rahul Gandhi for allegations on Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) appointment