Amit Shah Alleges ‘Generational Vote Chori’, Sparks Fiery Clash With Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha

A heated confrontation erupted in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi during a debate on the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, with Shah directly accusing Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi of “vote chori” (vote theft) and branding the Nehru-Gandhi family as “generational vote chors”.

The clash began when Rahul Gandhi interrupted Shah’s speech, challenging him to first address allegations of irregularities in voter lists that the Congress leader had raised in recent press conferences—one of which he had termed a “hydrogen bomb” on the electoral process. Gandhi dared the Home Minister to hold an open debate on the issue. An agitated Shah shot back that he would not allow anyone to dictate the sequence of his speech, asserting, “I have been elected for 30 years; Parliament will not run on your whims. Sit patiently; I will answer everything.”

Refusing to yield, Shah launched a sharp personal attack on the Gandhi family’s electoral history. He claimed the first instance of “vote chori” occurred in 1946 when provincial Congress committees overwhelmingly backed Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel for prime minister, yet Jawaharlal Nehru was chosen instead. He then accused Indira Gandhi of committing “massive vote chori” by continuing as prime minister even after the Allahabad High Court in 1975 disqualified her election from Rae Bareli, alleging she responded by imposing the Emergency, amending the law to grant herself retrospective immunity, and superseding three senior Supreme Court judges to appoint a favourable chief justice.

Also Read: 13-Year-Old Girl Raped by Four in Telangana Lodge; Two Minors Among Accused

Shah further escalated the attack by referencing a pending court case alleging that Sonia Gandhi voted in the 1980s before formally acquiring Indian citizenship, prompting uproar from Congress benches. Rahul Gandhi dismissed the response as “defensive and fearful”, while Shah maintained that genuine “vote chori” occurs when the people’s mandate is defied rather than through routine voter-list revision exercises opposed by the Congress. The fiery exchange, marked by repeated interruptions and counter-interruptions, underscored deepening political acrimony over electoral integrity as Parliament debates reforms to India’s voting framework.

Also Read: Israel Claims Gazans in Turkey Operate Iran-Led Network Moving Funds to Hamas