'Where was SIR when Congress lost in ...?': Amit Shah counters Rahul Gandhi's vote theft allegations in Haryana rally

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's criticism of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, asking why the Opposition had not raised similar concerns when it lost successive elections in 2014 and 2019. Shah also accused the INDIA bloc of organising protests to protect alleged infiltrators rather than safeguard voters' rights.

"Rahul Gandhi is frustrated by these defeats and is blaming the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) for them. Rahul Gandhi, where was SIR in 2014, when the Congress suffered a complete defeat? Where was it in 2019, when you lost?" Shah said.

He further pointed out that the Congress had also lost the 2024 Lok Sabha elections despite the absence of SIR, and referred to the party's electoral setbacks in Haryana and Maharashtra.

"There was no SIR in 2024 either, yet you lost. There was no SIR in Haryana or Maharashtra, but you lost there too," he said.

In another sharp attack on the Opposition alliance, Shah alleged that the INDIA bloc's proposed rally was not intended to defend electoral rights but to protect illegal immigrants.

Shah also sought to link the Congress's criticism of the electoral process to its performance in elections held after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Recalling the Haryana Assembly election, he took a swipe at former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and other Congress leaders over their expectations of victory.

"I have come here to tell you, brothers and sisters, that since the 2024 elections, people across the country have repeatedly voted against Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party in various elections. The first election was held in our Haryana," Shah said.

Recalling the counting day, he claimed that Hooda and other Congress leaders had arrived at their party office carrying sweets, including peda, barfi and jalebi, confident of an electoral victory.

The BJP leader's remarks came amid an intensifying political confrontation over the SIR exercise. The Congress and other Opposition parties have questioned the revision process, alleging that it could lead to wrongful deletions from electoral rolls and disenfranchise eligible voters. The BJP has rejected the allegations and defended the Election Commission's exercise.

Thursday's rally marked the culmination of the BJP's nationwide 'Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao' campaign, which was conducted from October 22 to November 5 at major party headquarters across the country.

Claiming that the campaign had received an enthusiastic response, Shah said the rallies had drawn large crowds and demonstrated continued public support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Everywhere, we witnessed similar enthusiasm and large crowds. There has been tremendous public support for our leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi across the country," he said.

The concluding event also featured a padyatra in Karnal attended by Shah, Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and BJP leader Smriti Irani, among others.

In an earlier statement accompanying visuals from the padyatra, Shah had also accused the Congress of pursuing "anarchy and appeasement politics". He targeted Rahul Gandhi over parliamentary disruptions, saying the BJP would respond to the Opposition both inside legislative institutions and on the streets.