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.
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Mangaluru: Two arrested on charges of selling narcotic drugs
Mangaluru: Urva Police on Tuesday arrested two individuals on charges of selling the narcotic drug MDMA. The accused have been identified as Syed Kalimulla (31) of Ramanagara in Shivamogga district and Ashraf Ali (26) of Mangalpady in Manjeshwar.
The arrests were made near Barebail on National Highway 66, where the two were reportedly moving suspiciously. Upon interrogation, they revealed that they had arrived to sell MDMA.
Police seized 12.27 grams of MDMA worth ₹25,000 and a mobile phone valued at ₹7,000 from Syed Kalimulla. From Ashraf Ali, officers confiscated 6.18 grams of MDMA valued at ₹12,500 along with a mobile phone, officials said.
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