Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday delivered a combative defense of the government’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the Lok Sabha, framing it as a constitutional duty to prevent illegal migrants from influencing India’s elections. In a fiery address, Shah accused the Opposition of spreading false narratives about the revision process while asserting that the ruling party’s agenda is to “detect, delete and deport” undocumented migrants from voter lists.

Shah began his speech by targeting the Congress and other opposition parties, claiming that their primary objective is to retain illegal immigrants on the electoral rolls. “Their main agenda is to keep illegal immigrants in the voter list, but we will fulfil our constitutional duty to detect, delete and deport them,” he said. He added that even if the Opposition staged multiple walkouts or protests, the government would remain steadfast in its mission to ensure that only eligible voters participate in Indian elections.

The Home Minister emphasized that the SIR is part of a longstanding constitutional and administrative practice and not a new initiative. He highlighted previous SIR exercises conducted under prime ministers from Jawaharlal Nehru to Manmohan Singh, underscoring that the process has historical precedent and is essential to safeguard democratic integrity. “SIR is a constitutional process, and by questioning it, the Opposition is tarnishing India’s democratic image globally,” he asserted.

Shah also linked the issue of illegal migration to national security and the integrity of Indian democracy. “Can a country’s democracy remain safe if illegal migrants decide who would be the Prime Minister or the Chief Minister? This SIR is nothing else but cleaning up of the voter list,” he said. He criticized opposition parties for questioning the process, arguing that their objections were politically motivated rather than grounded in concern for democratic principles.

Pointing specifically to West Bengal, Shah highlighted security concerns along the India-Bangladesh border. Out of 2,216 kilometers of border in Bengal, he said 1,653 km have been fenced, leaving 563 km open. He noted that fencing has been completed in Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. He warned the Trinamool Congress-led state government that protecting illegal migrants could result in electoral backlash. “When illegal migrants enter India, they are provided ration cards, Aadhaar cards, and voter list enrolments. This jeopardizes national security. You may win elections with their support, but the country pays the price,” Shah said.

Shah also addressed accusations of past “vote theft,” referencing historical cases involving Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Sonia Gandhi. He argued that these instances were misrepresented and suggested that the Congress often deflects blame onto electoral systems rather than its own leadership failures. He insisted that poor leadership, not electoral irregularities, was the reason for Congress’s losses in states such as Bihar. “The Congress lost because of leadership, not EVMs or voter lists. I hope one day Congress workers hold their leaders accountable,” he remarked.

During the debate, a brief exchange occurred between Shah and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who challenged the Home Minister to debate the claims made in three press conferences alleging vote theft by the BJP in collusion with the Election Commission. Shah responded that he would not alter the structure of his speech to suit the Opposition, emphasizing that his points were grounded in facts and the constitutional record.

Elaborating on the mechanics of the SIR process, Shah detailed that electoral rolls have been reviewed in past decades during the tenures of multiple prime ministers, including Nehru, Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Narsimha Rao, Vajpayee, and Manmohan Singh. He underlined that the current exercise is no different from these historical revisions, which aimed to ensure accurate voter lists and prevent electoral malpractice.

Shah defended the government’s approach by presenting it as part of a broader narrative of development and governance. He cited the BJP’s electoral record from 2014 to 2025, pointing to victories in three Lok Sabha and 41 assembly elections versus 30 wins for the Opposition. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for transformative initiatives such as the construction of seven crore houses, provision of water, cooking gas, toilets, and free medical coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per household, alongside infrastructure improvements.

The Home Minister also addressed operational concerns raised by critics, including the deletion of CCTV footage after 45 days, clarifying that this is conducted in compliance with Section 81 of the Representation of the People Act. He noted that the Modi government had introduced the Leader of the Opposition into key committees, countering claims of bias or irregularity in the process.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded Shah’s address, calling it “an outstanding speech” that highlighted the strengths of India’s electoral process and exposed what he described as Opposition lies about the revision exercise. The Prime Minister commended Shah for providing concrete facts that affirmed the government’s commitment to both democratic principles and national security.

Shah’s speech underscored the ruling party’s stance that the SIR is essential not only to maintain the integrity of elections but also to protect India from demographic and security risks posed by undocumented migration. He framed the exercise as a non-partisan, constitutional duty, positioning the BJP as a guardian of both democracy and national security while portraying the Opposition’s criticism as politically motivated and factually unfounded.

In conclusion, Amit Shah’s intervention in the Lok Sabha was a forceful assertion of the government’s position on electoral integrity. By emphasizing historical precedent, national security concerns, and the legal framework for voter list revisions, Shah sought to justify the Special Intensive Revision as a legitimate, essential, and non-partisan process. The session, marked by a brief confrontation with Rahul Gandhi and walkouts by opposition members, reinforced the BJP’s narrative of proactive governance and vigilance against illegal voting, setting the stage for heightened political debates ahead of elections in West Bengal and other states.