NATIONAL: Parliament Heat-Up: SIR Clash Sparks Sharp Exchange
A sharp confrontation erupted in the Lok Sabha between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi during the ongoing discussion concerning electoral reforms, specifically the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.
The exchange became personal and intensely adversarial, highlighting the deep political rift on the matter of electoral integrity.
The Leader of Opposition initiated a demand, calling for the Home Minister to address a previously raised question from the preceding day.
This intervention drew a stern rebuke from Mr. Shah, who asserted his parliamentary seniority and experience.
Minister Rebuffs Opposition’s Procedural Demands
Mr. Shah firmly stated that parliamentary proceedings could not be dictated by the Opposition’s directives.
He emphasized his three decades of experience in legislative bodies, pushing back against the notion that he should adhere to the Leader of Opposition’s timeline for his address.
“Parliament cannot function on your orders… you cannot rule the sessions of the House,” the Home Minister stressed.
The core of the dispute revolves around the Election Commission’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision exercise, which the Opposition has critically labeled as ‘vote theft’ and an act of malfeasance.
Defense of Constitutional Electoral Purification Process
The Home Minister aggressively countered the Congress party’s accusations of spreading “false propaganda.”
He defended the SIR process as a necessary and constitutional measure for purifying the electoral rolls.
Mr. Shah clarified that the removal of deceased individuals and foreign nationals is an essential constitutional obligation to maintain the sanctity of the ballot.
He posed a direct, rhetorical question to the Opposition: “Should illegal immigrants participate in elections?”
Citing Historical Precedent to Deflate Criticism
To invalidate the present-day objections raised by the Opposition, Mr. Shah invoked historical context.
He pointed out that similar voter list revisions have been undertaken multiple times during previous Congress administrations, spanning from 1952 to 2004.
He noted that leaders from Jawaharlal Nehru to Manmohan Singh never opposed such exercises.
He accused the Opposition of adopting double standards and misleading the public with “one-sided lies for four months” due to their political anxieties.
Allegations of Protecting Illegal Voters
Mr. Shah further intensified his criticism by alleging that the opposition parties are primarily concerned because the Special Intensive Revision threatens to disenfranchise illegal immigrants who constitute a significant vote bank for them.
He implied that the Opposition’s strong resistance to the constitutional process of roll purification stems from a fear of losing the support base of these illegal residents.
The heated parliamentary exchange concluded with the Opposition staging a walkout.