Didn't answer any questions, completely defensive response': Rahul on Shah's speech in LS
New Delhi (PTI): After the Lok Sabha witnessed a heated exchange between him and Amit Shah during a debate on election reforms, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday called the home minister's response "completely defensive" and asserted that "vote chori" is the "biggest treason".
The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha also claimed the home minister did not respond to any of the points raised by him and remained evasive including on transparent voter lists, EVMs and granting immunity to chief election commissioner.
"The home minister made a very defensive response. He did not reply to the points raised by us. It is a completely defensive response, you would have seen his face," Gandhi told reporters.
"I had asked him a few things, had asked for a transparent voter list for all, but he did not say a word about it. I had asked for providing EVM architecture to all, but he didn't say a word.
"I had said BJP leaders are voting in Haryana and Bihar, he did not speak on it. My press conference have a solid proof, but he did not speak about it," the former Congress chief said.
"The chief election commissioner is being given full immunity," he said.
The opposition MPs including Gandhi staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha during the debate on electoral reforms.
Later in a post on X, he said the home minister's response in Parliament on vote theft is "a panicked, defensive response".
"Not a single word on providing digital, machine-readable, transparent voter rolls, panic over a transparent audit of EVM architecture now, no response on BJP leaders and workers keeping and casting votes in multiple states, no response even on removing the CJI from the selection process (of ECs), absurd response on granting immunity to the EC and the excuse for not providing CCTV footage is also highly ridiculous.
"I am repeating once again - vote theft is the biggest treason," he said in a post in Hindi on X.
Earlier, in a stinging attack at the Opposition over its criticism of the SIR, Shah said they are worried because they can no longer win elections by corrupt practices and claimed that the reason for Congress' defeat in polls was its leadership and not EVMs or "vote chori".
AICC general secretary K C Venugopal also said the home minister should accept Gandhi’s challenge to discuss his press conferences that exposed "vote chori".
"He should respond to the clear-cut proof shown about how the BJP has completely hijacked the ECI and the electoral process. Tell us the time and place, Amit Shah ji. We are ready," Venugopal said on X.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also said, "Amit Shah ji spent 1.5 hours just giving this clarification that he has not committed 'vote theft'."
"The one who is innocent does not give such a long clarification," she told reporters.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
K’taka HC declines stay on menstrual leave order, says issue of public importance
Bengaluru: The State Government has strongly defended its decision to grant one day of paid menstrual leave every month to women employees, telling the Karnataka High Court that the notification was issued in the larger interest of women and is legally sound. The Court, treating the matter as one of significant public importance, refused to stay the implementation of the order and adjourned the hearing to January 20.
The Labour Department’s November 20, 2025 notification was challenged by the Bangalore Hotels Association, Avirat Defence System, Facile Aerospace Technologies Ltd and Samos Technologies Ltd. Justice Jyoti Mulimani heard the petitions on Wednesday.
At the start of the hearing, the bench asked whether the State had filed its objections. Advocate General K. Shashikiran Shetty informed the Court that objections had been submitted and that copies would be provided to the petitioners.
Defending the notification, the Advocate General said the government had introduced a progressive measure aimed at women’s welfare, one that no other state in India had implemented so far. He told the Court that 72 objections were received and considered before finalising the notification. He argued that the government was empowered to frame such policy under Article 42 of the Constitution and noted that the Supreme Court and the Law Commission had earlier made recommendations in this direction.
ALSO READ: MP Brijesh Chowta urges centre to grant point of call status to Mangaluru airport
When the Court asked whether the notification applied to all sectors, the Advocate General replied in the affirmative. The bench observed that the matter required detailed hearing because of its wider public impact and decided to take it up in January. The Court added that petitioners may file their responses to the State’s objections before the next hearing.
Petitioners’ counsel B.K. Prashanth requested that the State be restrained from enforcing the order until the case is decided. The Advocate General responded that the government had already begun implementing the notification across all sectors.
Justice Mulimani noted that nothing would change between now and the next hearing and emphasised that the Court would consider all arguments thoroughly before issuing any direction. The bench then adjourned the matter to January 20 and asked petitioners to file any additional applications with copies to the State’s counsel.
