Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of engaging in politics over the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
Addressing a poll rally in Bihar's Sitamarhi, the home minister alleged that Gandhi and other Opposition leaders are opposing SIR because “infiltrators are their vote bank”.
“Before the Bihar assembly elections, should the names of infiltrators be removed from the voter list or not? The Constitution of India does not give the right to vote to those who are not born in India,” Shah said.
"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.
In his speech, the union home minister also urged Rahul Gandhi to stop his “vote bank politics”.
{{/usCountry}}In his speech, the union home minister also urged Rahul Gandhi to stop his “vote bank politics”.
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“Rahul Gandhi must stop his vote bank politics. The Special Intensive Revision is not a new process, your late great-grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru started it, and it was last conducted in 2003," Shah said. “Now that you are losing elections one after another, you are already trying to justify your loss in the Bihar election in advance.”
Shah also criticised the previous UPA governments at the Centre, asserting that terrorist attacks were “frequent in India” during the regime.
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"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,” he alleged.
Shah also alleged that the RJD "encouraged hooliganism" during its rule in the state. "The RJD did nothing for Bihar. Lalu ji, as central minister, sanctioned ₹1,132 cr for railway infrastructure in Bihar, while our govt provided ₹10,066 cr in FY'26," he claimed.
Shah also expressed confidence that the NDA will form the government in Bihar with a thumping majority in the upcoming assembly polls.
What is Bihar SIR
The Election Commission of India launched the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar on June 24. This decision comes ahead of the highly anticipated assembly elections in the state.
As per ECI, the objective of the exercise is to update and clean up the electoral booths through house-to-house verification by Booth-Level Officers across Bihar.
The exercise has been criticised by the opposition governments at the state and central levels. In the monsoon session of the Parliament, INDIA bloc MPS have challenged the exercise, stating that the SIR is removing "genuine voters" from the electoral rolls.