Amit Shah counters Rahul Gandhi on voting rights

Refuting Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s claim that the Constitution has given the right to vote to every person, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday (August 8) that the Constitution does not give the right to vote to those who are not born in India. He was addressing a public meeting in Sitamarhi, Bihar.

'Rahul should read the Constitution'

Taking a dig at Rahul, Shah said that the Congress MP roams around carrying the Constitution, adding that he should open and read it. He further alleged that the Opposition was opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar conducted by the Election Commission (EC) because infiltrators were their vote banks.

"Before the Bihar assembly elections, should the names of infiltrators be removed from the voter list or not?” said Shah.

“The Constitution of India does not give the right to vote to those who are not born in India. Rahul Gandhi is roaming around carrying the Constitution; he should also open it and read it... They are opposing SIR because infiltrators are their vote bank,” he added as quoted by ANI.

Also Read: Rahul says EC shut its websites in 3 states after his voter theft allegations

RJD, Congress opposing SIR for vote bank

Accusing Rahul of "indulging in politics over the SIR exercise" in Bihar, Shah said that names of infiltrators are must be removed from the voters’ lists adding that the RJD and Congress were opposing the SIR in Bihar because the names of infiltrators are being deleted from the lists.

“Names of infiltrators must be removed from the voters' lists. They have no right to vote. But the RJD and the Congress are opposing SIR in Bihar because the names of infiltrators are being deleted from the lists,” said Shah.

Also Read: Rahul asks EC to share voter lists, video recordings from past 10 years

'Frequent terror attack during UPA rule'

Lashing out at the Opposition over their stand on Operation Sindoor, Shah alleged that terror attacks were more frequent in the country when the Congress-led UPA was in power at the Centre.

"But now India is different under the Narendra Modi ji's regime. Our soldiers killed terrorists in their hideouts. But the RJD and Congress leaders are opposing Operation Sindoor,” said Shah.

He also asserted that the NDA will form the government in the coming assembly polls. "The RJD did nothing for Bihar. Lalu ji, as central minister, sanctioned Rs 1,132 cr for railway infrastructure in Bihar, while our government provided Rs 10,066 cr in FY'26," said Shah.

He accused the RJD of encouraging hooliganism when it was in power in Bihar.

Also Read: EC asks Rahul Gandhi to sign oath or apologise to nation over 'vote theft' claim

What Rahul said

Earlier in the day, Rahul said that the BJP’s ideology was against the Constitution, which has given everyone the right to vote.

"We have protected the Constitution of India. The voices of Ambedkarji, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Sardar Patel echo in the Constitution of India. Basavana, Narayana Guru and Phule Ji's voices echo from it. Our Constitution of India gives the right to every person to vote,” said Rahul as quoted by ANI.

“In the last election, a question arose before us, first it was Lok Sabha polls, then Maharashtra and Karnataka elections...In Maharashtra, INDIA alliance wins the Lok Sabha polls, but four months later, BJP wins the Assembly polls in the state...This was shocking. We found that one crore new voters voted in the Assembly elections in Maharashtra,” he added.

(With agency inputs)