Shah dares Rahul on SIR, EVMs; says Cong shielding ‘infiltrators’
The Union minister also targeted the Congress over corruption, alleging that the party was involved in corruption worth ₹12 lakh crore during its decade-long rule at the Centre. In contrast, he claimed that no corruption allegations had surfaced against the Modi govt during its 12 years in office. He said SIR was not a new exercise and had been conducted 12 times in the country, including 10 times under Congress governments and twice under the BJP. Earlier reporting noted: Patra said around three crore voters were identified as absent, six crore applications were received through Form-6 for registration and notices were issued to six crore voters who had shifted. He accused the Congress of clubbing these figures to claim that 13 crore votes had been stolen.
Because he feared that PM Modi would expose the Congress’s arguments, he alleged that Rahul Gandhi was avoiding such a discussion. Turning to the Congress’s criticism of EVMs, Shah questioned why the opposition accepted election outcomes when it won but alleged manipulation when it lost.
Hyderabad : Escalating the BJP ’s offensive against the Congress over electoral roll revision and voter eligibility, Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday accused the party of opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise to protect “infiltrators” and safeguard its vote bank. He said Congress govts had come to power in several states through the same electoral process and machines that it now questioned. Renewing his challenge, Shah said the BJP was prepared for a full debate in Parliament on SIR, EVMs and infiltrators. Had he become prime minister at least in the mock Parliament, it would have brought some peace to Sonia Gandhi, he said, adding that Rahul Gandhi would never become prime minister. Earlier reporting noted: SIR aims to refine voter rolls, not steal 13 crore votes: Sambit Patra The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is aimed at refining voter lists, not “stealing 13 crore votes,” BJP spokesperson and MP Sambit Patra said on Monday, dismissing allegations against the Election Commission of India (ECI) by Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. Earlier reporting noted: Explaining the exercise, the Puri MP said it involved identifying voters who were absent, had permanently shifted, were deceased or had duplicate registrations.
Launching a sharp attack on Rahul Gandhi , Shah challenged the Congress leader to a debate in Parliament on SIR, electronic voting machines (EVMs) and illegal immigration, asserting that only genuine Indian citizens should remain on electoral rolls. In a personal jibe, Shah referred to Rahul Gandhi’s participation in a mock Parliament exercise and remarked that he had remained Leader of Opposition even there instead of becoming prime minister.
Because it wanted the names of Bangladeshi infiltrators to remain on electoral rolls, he alleged that the Congress was resisting the SIR exercise.
Addressing a public meeting after participating in the BJP’s maha padayatra in Hyderabad, Shah said Rahul Gandhi’s recent rally in Delhi was not a “vote bachao” programme but an attempt to shield infiltrators. “Rahul Gandhi and Congress can organise as many rallies as they want, but the BJP will deport every infiltrator from the country,” he said, adding that only Indian citizens were entitled to vote.