Hyderabad, Telangana: Union Home Minister Amit Shah took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during a rally in Hyderabad on Monday, November 2, saying Gandhi could become Prime Minister in a mock Parliament but would never hold the position in the real Parliament. The remark came as Shah launched a sharp attack on Gandhi and Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy during the BJP’s ‘Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao’ campaign.
Addressing a gathering after leading a Maha Padayatra from the Dr Babu Jagjivan Ram statue in Basheerbagh towards Moazzam Jahi Market, Shah questioned Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of electoral irregularities and accused the Congress of opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to protect illegal immigrants.
Referring to the INDIA bloc’s November 1 rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, Shah said it was not a ‘Vote Bachao’ rally but a ‘Save the Infiltrators’ rally. He alleged that Congress wanted to retain Bangladeshi infiltrators on electoral rolls for political gains and asserted that the BJP would ensure their removal.
Responding to Gandhi’s claims about voter deletions, Shah rejected the allegations and claimed that several entries were linked to deceased voters, people who had shifted residences, duplicate registrations and non-existent individuals.
He also challenged Gandhi to participate in a special session of Parliament to debate SIR, electronic voting machines (EVMs) and electoral issues. Questioning Congress’s criticism of EVMs, Shah asked how the party had formed governments in Telangana and other states if the machines were unreliable.
Shah also accused Gandhi of spending months abroad instead of working among people.
Alleged verbal slip involving Revanth Reddy
A separate moment during Shah’s address drew attention after he allegedly referred to Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy as “gandu garu”, in what appeared to be a verbal slip.
Shah further accused Revanth Reddy of turning Telangana into an ATM for the Congress leadership, alleging that the state’s resources were being channelled to the party’s central leadership. He also claimed that the Congress government had failed to fulfil its six guarantees and expressed confidence that the BJP would form the next government in Telangana.