Union House Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday launched a sweeping assault on the Congress within the Lok Sabha, alleging that electoral irregularities, or “vote chori”, weren’t new and actually started within the eras of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, extending to a present-day dispute over Sonia Gandhi being enrolled as a voter earlier than changing into an Indian citizen.
These claims, he mentioned, uncovered a long time of manipulation that lengthy predated the BJP.
Shah’s remarks got here throughout a heated debate on electoral reforms, the place he accused the Opposition of spreading “one-sided falsehoods” concerning the Particular Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and of trying to discredit the Election Fee for political achieve. He asserted that the EC’s clean-up drive was being wrongly projected as a government-led try at voter deletion.
Shah mentioned the Opposition’s anger at historic references confirmed an unwillingness to confront uncomfortable truths. “Every time we narrate historical past, some folks get upset. However no society can progress with out understanding its previous,” he mentioned.
He then listed the a number of rounds of electoral roll revisions carried out underneath Congress-led governments between 1952 and 2004, starting with Nehru and adopted by Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and PV Narasimha Rao, none of which, he identified, had been opposed on the time.
SHAH’S ‘THREE VOTE CHORI’ LIST
The House Minister outlined three particular situations that he described as “voter chori”:
Nehru’s elevation as Prime Minister regardless of having solely two votes
Shah claimed that Sardar Patel obtained 28 votes within the post-Independence management contest, whereas Nehru bought simply two, “but Nehru grew to become PM.”
Indira Gandhi granting herself immunity after her election was put aside
He alleged that after the 1975 Allahabad Excessive Court docket verdict, Indira Gandhi “gave herself immunity” to retain energy.
Sonia Gandhi allegedly changing into a voter earlier than citizenship
Shah mentioned a dispute over how Sonia Gandhi was registered as a voter earlier than changing into an Indian citizen had reached the civil courts. This instantly drew a pointy objection from Congress MP KC Venugopal, who referred to as the cost “deceptive” and challenged Shah to show it.
‘CAN PM, CM BE DECIDED BY GHUSPETIYE?’
Defending the SIR train, Shah argued that some events feared shedding the backing of unlawful immigrants whose names could be eliminated. “Ought to infiltrators be allowed to determine who turns into the Prime Minister or Chief Minister? Completely not,” he mentioned.
He reiterated that the SIR goals to delete names of the deceased, take away overseas nationals, get rid of duplicates and add new 18-year-olds.
‘SIR IS EC’S MANDATE; PARLIAMENT CANNOT DEBATE IT’
Shah careworn that the SIR falls throughout the Election Fee’s unique area underneath Articles 325, 326 and 327 of the Structure.
He cited the Supreme Court docket’s 1995 Lal Babu Hussein judgment to argue that EC officers are empowered to confirm citizenship claims. “That is their responsibility, not our path,” he mentioned.
RAHUL GANDHI’S 501-VOTE CLAIM ‘FALSE’
Shah dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s declare that 501 votes had been solid from a single home in Haryana. “The EC clarified that the handle was an ancestral one-acre property with a number of households. A false narrative was created solely to allege vote theft,” he mentioned.
He accused the Opposition of utilizing the EC selectively. “Once you win, the EC is nice. Once you lose, the EC turns into incompetent. Such double requirements is not going to work. BJP has misplaced extra elections than it has received, however we by no means questioned the EC,” he mentioned.
FIERY EXCHANGE WITH RAHUL GANDHI
Rahul Gandhi’s interruption led to a tense second within the Home, with Shah saying, “He can not determine what I converse. He should be taught to be affected person. Parliament can not run in accordance with his provocation.”
Gandhi shot again that Shah’s response was “fearful”, however Shah refused to be drawn in.
CONGRESS LEADERSHIP UNDER FIRE
Shah mentioned the most important injury to the EC’s credibility had come from Opposition leaders akin to Mamata Banerjee, MK Stalin, Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Tejashwi Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav, Hemant Soren, Bhagwant Mann and others.
“A brand new sample has emerged. Earlier this custom was solely in Congress, now it has unfold throughout the complete INDI Alliance,” he mentioned. He additionally requested, “If the electoral rolls are corrupt, why did you are taking oath after successful?”
NDA NEVER RAN FROM DEBATE, SAYS SHAH
Shah rejected the Opposition’s cost that the federal government resisted debate on electoral reforms. “An impression was created that we weren’t prepared for dialogue. However the NDA by no means runs away. Parliament is the most important panchayat for debate,” he mentioned.
He maintained that solely SIR, a matter strictly underneath the EC, couldn’t be taken up for detailed dialogue.
‘YOUR DEFEAT IS NOT BECAUSE OF VOTER LISTS’
Shah mentioned the EC’s SIR was being carried out exactly to deal with the Opposition’s complaints. “EC is engaged on the shortcomings you identified. That is the reform you demanded. Now you oppose it too,” he mentioned, including, “New voter listing or outdated, your defeat is for certain. Elections should not received or misplaced due to the rolls.”
– Ends
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