Congress questions Shah's 'infiltrator' claim over SIR, seeks data

Congress on Tuesday challenged Home Minister Amit Shah's argument linking opposition to the Simultaneous Elections (SIR) proposal with protection of infiltrators. The party demanded clarity on the data behind Shah's claims, asking how many infiltrators have been detected, deleted from voter rolls, or deported under current policies.

Shah had accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of seeking to protect infiltrators by opposing the simultaneous elections proposal, claiming the public was aware of what he termed Gandhi's 'strategy'. The Congress countered by questioning the factual basis of these assertions and sought specific numbers to substantiate the Home Minister's position.

The exchange marks an escalation in the political debate over the simultaneous elections proposal, with both sides invoking different arguments—the government focusing on national security concerns and the opposition questioning the evidence and implications of the policy.