Amit Shah and Rahul Gandhi's Fierce Clash Over Electoral Reforms in Lok Sabha Debate

Union Home Minister Amit Shah's speech in the Lok Sabha during the debate on electoral reforms sparked a heated confrontation with Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi. When the Congress MP challenged the minister to hold a debate on his press conference regarding alleged voter list irregularities, the BJP leader responded firmly, stating that no one would dictate the sequence of his remarks.

During his address, Shah criticized the opposition for pointing out irregularities in existing voter lists while simultaneously objecting to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), which he claimed was intended to update the rolls and ensure only eligible voters were included. "The voter lists are absolutely fine when you win, you wear new clothes and take oath. But when you fall flat, like in Bihar, you say there is a problem with the voter list... These double standards will not fly," he remarked sarcastically.

Taking aim at Rahul Gandhi's press conferences on voter lists, one of which was labeled a "Hydrogen Bomb," Shah stated that the Leader of the Opposition spoke about 'vote chori' (vote theft) when certain families—clearly referencing the Nehru-Gandhi family—were "generational vote chors."

Gandhi interrupted at this point, demanding that Shah first address why Election Commissioners had been granted immunity for actions taken while in office. Claiming that the Home minister had selectively chosen examples from his press conferences, Gandhi issued a challenge: "Actually, let us have a debate on my press conference. Let us go. Amit Shah ji, I challenge you to have a debate on the three press conferences."

A visibly angered Shah responded: "I want to make something clear. I have been elected to legislative assemblies and the Parliament for 30 years. I have extensive experience. The Leader of the Opposition says he wants me to answer this or that question first. Let me make this clear to him: The Parliament will not work based on your wishes. I will decide the order in which I say things. He should be patient and hear my reply, I will answer everything. He will not decide the order of my speech."

Refusing to back down, Gandhi characterized Shah's response as "defensive and fearful."

Shah maintained that he would not be provoked and stated that 'vote chori' actually occurs when the people's mandate is defied.

In a scathing critique of the Gandhi-Nehru family, Shah alleged that the first instance of 'vote chori' happened when selecting Independent India's first Prime Minister. He claimed that provincial Congress unit heads were each supposed to cast one vote, with 28 votes going to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and only two for Jawaharlal Nehru. "But Nehru ji ended up being the Prime Minister," he said, triggering an uproar from Opposition benches.

Shah cited another alleged example of 'vote chori' involving Indira Gandhi's Raibareli election, which was contested in the Allahabad High Court. The court, he said, invalidated the election.

"This was a big vote chori. And what happened then? To hide the vote chori, she brought in a law that no case can be filed against the Prime Minister. The Leader of the Opposition talks of immunity to Election Commissioners, and I will respond, but what does he have to say about this? She gave herself immunity," the minister asserted.

"She then bypassed the judges in terms of seniority, picked the one who was fourth as Chief Justice and then won the case in the Supreme Court. This is history, no one teaches them this, it seems," he added.

Targeting Rahul Gandhi's mother and former Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, Shah mentioned a court case alleging she had voted before becoming an Indian citizen.

"I have just stated a fact," he insisted as Congress MPs objected and dismissed the allegation as baseless.

Shah proceeded to counter Rahul Gandhi, the Congress, and the Opposition's objections to Electronic Voter Machines (EVMs), suggesting their real agenda behind opposing the SIR was to ensure illegal immigrants remained on voter lists.

This accusation prompted the Opposition to walk out.

Outside Parliament, when asked about the walkout, Gandhi explained, "The Home minister's response was defensive and he did not respond to the points we had raised. He did not speak about transparent voter lists, clarity on EVM architecture or the solid proof I had presented in my press conferences."