Shah Launches Stinging Attack on Opposition Over SIR Criticism; Rahul Challenges HM to Debate on ‘Vote Chori’

PTI, NEW DELHI, DEC 10, 2025: In a stinging attack at the Opposition over its criticism of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said they were worried because they can no longer win elections through corrupt practices. He claimed that the reason for Congress' defeat in polls was its leadership and not EVMs or "vote chori."

Intervening in a debate on election reforms in the Lok Sabha, Shah alleged that the Opposition was raising the issue of SIR to keep "avaidh ghuspathiye" (illegal immigrants) in the voters' list. When the Opposition MPs walked out later, Shah remarked that no matter how many times the Opposition boycotts, the NDA will continue with its policy of "detect, delete and deport ghuspathiye". He further stated that the Opposition wanted to normalise and formalise the presence of "ghuspathiye" and add them to the electoral rolls.

Shah also cited three instances of alleged "vote chori" by Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Sonia Gandhi. "Post-Independence, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was backed by 28 persons, while Jawaharlal Nehru was backed by two persons, and yet Nehru became the prime minister—this was vote chori," he said. The Union Minister said the second "vote chori" was by Indira Gandhi, when she granted herself immunity after a court set aside her election. He also referred to the third "vote chori", which involves Sonia Gandhi and how she became a voter before becoming a citizen of India.

Shah also took a dig at Congress and said the reason for its poll losses was its leadership. "If someone asks a question in a presser, they are dubbed as a BJP agent; if they lose a case, they accuse the judge; if they lose an election, they blame EVMs. Now, when the EVM blame does not hold, they brought up 'vote chori'... and still, they lost. The reason for your defeat is your leadership, not EVMs or the voters' list," the Home Minister stated.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday challenged Shah to debate with him on his three press conferences in which the Congress leader alleged "vote chori" by the BJP in collusion with the Election Commission. Fiery exchanges were witnessed in the Lok Sabha, with Shah and Rahul trading barbs.

Shah, while attacking the Congress and the Opposition, participated in the debate on election reforms. Rahul, in turn, hit back and challenged Shah to counter his arguments. "I had asked a question yesterday. For the first time in India's history, a decision was taken that election commissioners will be given full immunity. He (Shah) must tell us the thinking behind this. He talked about Haryana, gave one example, but there are numerous examples of 'vote chori'," Rahul said.

"Let us have a debate on my press conference. Amit Shah ji, I challenge you to have a debate on the three press conferences," the Congress leader added. Shah shot back at the Congress MP, stating that he would not frame his speech according to the wishes of the Leader of Opposition, nor change the sequence of his argument on someone else's demand.

"Amit Shah gave a defensive response. This is a response of being rattled and scared," Rahul retorted.

As Shah countered the claimsGandhi made in his press conferences in the last few months, there were heated exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches.