NEW DELHI — A day after the debate on the election reforms in the Lok Sabha, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday, made startling claims that Home Minister Amit Shah was “very nervous”, “used wrong language” and “his hands were trembling”.
During the discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, which often turned heated, Rahul Gandhi “challenged” Home Minister Amit Shah to an open debate, prompting a firm response from the minister, saying, “I will decide the order of my speech”.
As Home Minister Shah countered the opposition’s allegations of “vote chori” and referred to Rahul Gandhi’s claim of “multiple voters at one Haryana house”, the Congress leader stood up and interrupted his speech.
Reacting to the developments outside the House on Thursday, Rahul Gandhi said, “Amit Shah was very nervous yesterday. He used the wrong language, and his hands were trembling.”
“He is under tremendous mental pressure. Everybody saw this yesterday. What I asked him, he did not answer directly. He gave no proof. I have directly challenged him to come to the ground and let us discuss all my press conferences in Parliament. I received no answer. You know the reality,” he claimed.
Union Home Minister on Wednesday mounted a sharp counteroffensive in the Lok Sabha, accusing the Congress of levelling baseless allegations of “vote theft,” while asserting that electoral irregularities date back to the eras of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.
Amit Shah warned Opposition parties in the Lok Sabha that those who oppose the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) “will be wiped out” from West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. He added that if the Trinamool Congress continued to oppose the bill, the BJP’s victory in West Bengal is “certain.”
The Union Home Minister slammed the Opposition for spreading “falsehoods” on SIR and launched a strong defence of the exercise, questioning whether democracy can remain safe if the prime minister and chief ministers are allegedly decided by “ghuspathiye”.
By attempting to corner the Centre over the SIR, Amit Shah said the Opposition believes it is tarnishing the government’s image, but in reality, it is damaging the image of India’s democracy.
Shah further highlighted what he called a new and dangerous trend: that when the Opposition loses, it defames the Election Commission and the electoral rolls — a practice he said is harmful to the country’s democratic fabric.
He added that the BJP has also lost elections, yet it has never questioned the Election Commission. — IANS
