KARNAL, NOVEMBER 06: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday reiterated the BJP’s commitment to identifying alleged infiltrators, removing their names from electoral rolls and deporting them, while launching a sharp attack on Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi over the ongoing political confrontation surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.
Addressing a public rally in Karnal, Haryana, after leading the BJP’s ‘Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao’ (Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy) march from Sector 12 to Dayanand Chowk, Shah accused Rahul Gandhi of encouraging parliamentary disruptions and turning boycotts into a political culture.
Shah asserted that the BJP was determined to ensure that electoral rolls contained only eligible voters and accused the INDIA bloc of opposing the exercise to allegedly protect infiltrators.
CHALLENGES RAHUL GANDHI TO PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE ON SIR
The Home Minister reiterated his proposal for convening a special session of Parliament to discuss the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, challenging Rahul Gandhi and opposition parties to participate in an open debate.
Shah said Parliament was the appropriate constitutional forum for discussing issues concerning democracy and electoral reforms, adding that the government was prepared for a comprehensive discussion.
He accused Rahul Gandhi of repeatedly disrupting parliamentary proceedings instead of engaging in meaningful debates and said the BJP would respond politically at every level, including Parliament, State Assemblies and villages.
Targeting the INDIA bloc’s November 1 protest at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, Shah described the opposition’s ‘Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao’ campaign as a movement aimed at protecting infiltrators.
He reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stated policy of ‘Detect, Delete and Deport’, saying alleged infiltrators would be identified, their names removed from electoral rolls and those found to be illegally residing in the country deported.
Shah also accused the opposition of questioning the credibility of democratic institutions whenever it faces electoral setbacks.
SHAH DISPUTES CONGRESS CLAIM OF 13 CRORE DELETED VOTES
Addressing allegations regarding the deletion of nearly 13 crore names from electoral rolls, Shah disputed Congress’s claims and presented his own explanation for the figures.
According to Shah, approximately 2.5 crore deleted entries related to deceased voters, more than six crore belonged to people who had shifted to other states, while around one crore were duplicate entries appearing at multiple locations.
He further claimed that approximately three crore entries related to people who did not appear before the Election Commission during the verification exercise.
Shah alleged that these discrepancies highlighted the need for electoral roll revision, while the opposition has continued to raise concerns over voter deletions and electoral transparency.
Taking his attack further, Shah accused Rahul Gandhi of obstructing parliamentary proceedings, disrespecting constitutional institutions and resorting to protests and boycotts.
He said the BJP was ready to respond to the opposition’s allegations through a detailed parliamentary debate and urged the Congress leader to participate in discussions rather than targeting democratic institutions.
Shah also questioned Rahul Gandhi’s foreign visits, saying that as Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, he should be accountable to the people.
BJP LEADERS JOIN KARNAL RALLY
The rally and march were attended by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Union Minister and Karnal MP Manohar Lal, Haryana BJP president Archana Gupta, party’s state in-charge Smriti Irani and several state ministers.
Hundreds of BJP supporters participated in the march, organised as part of the party’s nationwide ‘Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao’ campaign.
The political confrontation comes amid growing differences between the BJP-led Centre and opposition parties over electoral roll revision, alleged irregularities and the functioning of constitutional institutions.
On November 1, INDIA bloc leaders had organised a ‘Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao’ protest at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi, accusing the Centre of electoral irregularities and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The BJP and opposition parties have since intensified their political exchanges, with the proposed special session of Parliament emerging as a major point of debate.
