A heated exchange erupted in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday as Union Home Minister Amit Shah sharply countered Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhis accusations of electoral fraud, flipping the script by accusing past Congress leaders of vote chori themselves. The confrontation unfolded during Shahs address on election reforms, particularly the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, turning a routine policy discussion into a political firestorm.​

Gandhi interrupted Shah multiple times, insisting on an immediate debate over alleged fake voters in Haryana and Bihar that he claimed rigged recent polls. Shah dismissed the demands, retorting that Gandhi couldnt dictate his speech and accusing the opposition of protecting infiltrators who bolster their vote banks. The tension boiled over when Gandhi labeled Shah panicked and defensive, leading to an opposition walkout before Shah finished.​

In a pointed rebuttal, Shah listed three historical instances he said exemplified Congresss own vote irregularities. He alleged Jawaharlal Nehru clinched the prime ministership in 1946 with just two votes against Sardar Patels 28 in a Congress poll, calling it the first vote chori. Shah also cited Indira Gandhis 1971 Rae Bareli win, overturned by court for malpractices, followed by her ordinance granting PMs legal immunity. Finally, he referenced Sonia Gandhis voter registration amid citizenship questions that remain unresolved in courts.​

Defending SIR as a standard Election Commission process since 1952—often under Congress governments—Shah urged the opposition to back efforts cleaning voter rolls of duplicates and deceased names instead of sowing doubt. This isnt new; voter revisions have been routine, but in polarized times, they spark debates on democracys integrity, echoing broader concerns over EVMs and electoral transparency that both sides wield strategically.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from PTI.