Union Home Minister Amit Shah has launched a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him and other opposition leaders of defending infiltrators for vote-bank politics. Addressing a public meeting in Sitamarhi, Bihar, Shah alleged that Gandhi is opposing the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar because "infiltrators are their vote bank".

Shah asserted that the Constitution of India does not grant voting rights to those not born in India. He challenged Gandhi, stating that while the Congress leader roams around carrying the Constitution, he should also open it and read it. Shah questioned whether the names of infiltrators should be removed from the voter list before the Bihar assembly elections. He urged Gandhi to cease his "vote bank politics".

The Home Minister stated that the SIR is not a novel process, noting that Rahul Gandhi's great-grandfather, Jawaharlal Nehru, initiated it, and it was last conducted in 2003. He mocked Gandhi, suggesting that the Congress leader is already seeking excuses for a potential defeat in the upcoming Bihar elections. Shah predicted a significant victory for the BJP-led ruling alliance in the state.

Shah’s remarks came in response to allegations from the Congress and its allies, including Tejashwi Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), that the Election Commission (EC) is acting at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to disenfranchise non-BJP voters through the special intensive revision of the Bihar voter list. Rahul Gandhi had claimed that over one lakh fake, duplicate, and bulk entries had been detected in the Mahadevapura assembly constituency in Karnataka. He also warned the Election Commissioners of stern action once the INDIA bloc forms the government, alleging a "partnership" between the Election Commission and the BJP to "steal votes". The EC has responded fiercely to these allegations, demanding that Gandhi provide proof or offer an apology.

Shah hit back at Gandhi’s claims, stating they were an attempt to deflect attention from the removal of illegal voters. He accused the opposition of shielding illegal immigrants, asserting that infiltrators have "no right to vote" and must be removed from the electoral rolls. He further criticized the previous UPA governments, asserting that terrorist attacks were frequent during their tenure. He contrasted this with the Modi government's actions, such as the surgical strike after Uri and the airstrike after Pulwama.

He also targeted RJD chief Lalu Prasad, stating that if Lalu and his party want the votes of infiltrators, the people of Bihar will not accept them. He questioned what Lalu Prasad and his wife, who ruled Bihar for years, did for the development of Mithilanchal, besides promoting goondaism, kidnapping, and running mafias. Shah affirmed that the government supports the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to purge illegal voters.