Amit Shah Targets Rahul Gandhi Over Vote Theft
Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, October 22, 2026, accusing him of raising allegations of electoral malpractice to justify Congress’s repeated election defeats. Speaking at an event in Delhi, Shah alleged that the opposition’s campaign against alleged vote theft was intended to protect the electoral interests of illegal infiltrators.
Amit Shah Challenges Rahul Gandhi’s Vote Theft Claims
Shah rejected Gandhi’s allegations of collusion between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission, arguing that Congress had suffered electoral setbacks long before Narendra Modi became Prime Minister.
He questioned why Congress remained out of power in several states for decades if electoral manipulation under the BJP was responsible for its defeats.
Shah also accused Gandhi of applying double standards to judicial decisions, accepting favourable verdicts while questioning rulings that went against him.
Home Minister Criticises Opposition Protests
Referring to recent opposition demonstrations in Delhi, Shah argued that political protests and public pressure could not overturn an electoral mandate.
Gandhi has repeatedly alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and accused the Election Commission of facilitating vote theft. These allegations remain politically contested.
Shah maintained that elections must be decided through democratic procedures rather than street mobilisation.
Shah Targets AAP Over Punjab Drugs and Yamuna
The Home Minister also criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over drug trafficking in Punjab, claiming that voters wanted a change in government.
He promised stronger measures against drug trafficking if the National Democratic Alliance formed the next Punjab government.
During the Delhi event, Shah launched Yamuna-cleaning projects worth ₹8,941 crore and announced a target of May 2029 for cleaning the river.
He accused previous Congress and AAP governments of allowing untreated sewage to pollute the Yamuna.
