Parliament Winter Session LIVE: Rahul Gandhi talks about ‘Brazilian model’s’ photo on voter IDs, asks why ECI not answering ‘straight ques’

“The facts presented by LoP Rahul Gandhi on the floor of the House while participating in the discussion on election reforms were full of falsehoods. They were not facts, they were lies. Never before in the parliamentary history of India would you find the LoP or any other leader threatening a judicial body like the Election Commission and the Election Commissioner, which are unconstitutional authorities, with dire consequences. ‘If we come to power, we will not spare you.’ This kind of threat issued by Rahul Gandhi today is a sign of arrogance and ignorance,” he alleged.

“Rahul Gandhi talked about vote theft. He said that we won the Haryana elections through vote theft. By stealing votes, the Bihar election was won, and the Maharashtra election was won. This is an insult and disrespect to the voters. Somewhere, you are insulting women voters, the youth, and the farmers. You said that we formed the government by stealing votes. So does that same theory hold good for the Congress party in Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka and Telangana? Patra asked.

BJP MP Sambit Patra slams Rahul Gandhi, said that the claims made by him in the House during the election reforms debate were completely false and not based on facts.

“It has never happened in the history of Parliament that a Leader of the Opposition or any leader stands in the House and is seen threatening the Election Commission or the Election Commissioner,” he added.

Around 100MPs give signed proposal to impeach Justice GR Swaminathan of Madras HC over the latter’s order to permitting devotees to light the Karthigai Deepam lamp atop Madurai’s Thiruparankundram Hill.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, on Tuesday said the true homage to Bharat Mata will only be when Parliament discusses and resolves the issues of common people, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of holding a discussion on Vande Mataram while keeping Bengal elections in mind.

Addressing the house on SIR issue, Rahul Gandhi said, “Everybody says to us, India is the biggest democracy. Actually, I was thinking today, we are not just the biggest democracy. We are the greatest democracy. I’m saying it, America calls itself the oldest democracy. But the democracy that weaves together the largest number of people, the largest diversity of people, the largest number of languages, the largest number of states is this.”

“And so our most powerful asset, the thing that stitches together the entire concept of modern India, stitches together the fabric of modern India, brings people together, allows them to build this great nation, is being attacked by these people… And I’d like to conclude by saying that the biggest anti-national act you can do is ‘vote chori’. There is no bigger anti-national act than ‘vote chori’…” he added.

Rahul Gandhi said the Election Commission has not told him why this (Brazilian model) lady’s picture has appeared on the polling list.

“They have not told me why lakhs and lakhs of duplicate voters exist. They have not told me why a BJP leader is coming from Uttar Pradesh to vote in Haryana. These are straightforward questions, and there is clear proof that I have put before the country. But the Election Commission has no answer to these questions, and that is the result of the complete capture of the Election Commission by the people across the aisle… Why is it that after the SIR in Bihar, 1.2 lakh duplicate photos exist in the voting list, if you’ve cleaned up the voting list? And we have not just proven this about Haryana, we have proven this in Karnataka, we have proven this in Maharashtra, and I am absolutely certain this is how you are winning elections in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and across the country,” the Congress MP asked.

Rahul Gandhi said the third capture of the institution that directly controls the election system of our country, the Election Commission.

“Now, I am not saying this without proof. I have put forth adequate proof about how the Election Commission is colluding with those in power to shape the elections. But I want to ask three questions first, which will make it very clear that the BJP is directing and using the Election Commission to damage India’s democracy,” he added.

He asked – “why is it that the CJI was removed from the selection panel of the Election Commissioner… On one side, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr Amit Shah. On the other side, the Leader of Opposition. I have no voice in that room,” Gandhi added

“What they decide is what happens. So the first question, why is the Prime Minister and Amit Shah so keen on choosing exactly who the election commissioner is going to be?… In December 2023, this government changed the law. They changed the law to make sure that no Election Commissioner could be punished for any action they take while they are Election Commissioners,” he added.

Intensifying his attack on RSS, Rahul Gandhi said that the project of the RSS was to capture the institutional framework of the country.

“… Vice-chancellor after vice-chancellor is placed not on merit, not on capability, not on scientific temper, but on the fact that he belongs to a particular organisation. Second capture. which helps in destroying democracy. The capture of the intelligence agencies. The capture of the CBI, of the ED, of the Income Tax Department. And the systematic placement of bureaucrats who favor their ideology and attack the opposition and anybody who chooses to oppose the RSS,” he said.

Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP, addresses Parliament on SIR.

He said, “Our nation is a fabric. It is made up of 1.4 billion people, and the fabric is woven together by the vote.”

Speaking on electoral reforms, Rahul Gandhi targets RSS in Lok Sabha.

He said, “On the 30th of January, 1948, three bullets pierced the chest of Mahatma Gandhi. Nathuram Godse assassinated the father of our nation. Today our friends have pushed him away. He’s an uncomfortable truth. But that’s not where the project ended. As I said, everything has emerged from the vote. All the institutions have emerged from the vote. So it’s obvious that the RSS has to capture all the institutions that have emerged from there.”

NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, during debate on election reforms in Lok Sabha, said that the Election Commission should have been an independent authority, but it looks like “they are part of the government”.

“This is not healthy for any democracy in the world. It’s shameful,” she added.

Congress MP and LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has begun his speech on SIR in the lower house of parliament.

Mallikarjun Kharge slams government on US President Donald Trump’s claims.

“Government silent on US President Trump’s numerous claims of solving India-Pakistan conflict,” he said.

Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge said, “Discussion on Vande Mataram is to deflect attention from the problems country is facing.”

Congress chief and Rajya Sabha LoP, Mallikarjun Kharge said that PM Modi, HM Amit Shah leave no chance to insult Jawaharlal Nehru, other Congress leaders.

Speaking in Lok Sabha during debate on electoral reforms, BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal alleged that ‘Vote Chori’ happened when Election Commission postponed the remaining phases of 1991 general elections by three weeks following assassination of Rajiv Gandhi to garner sympathy votes.

Opposition leaders – Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, DMK MPs Kanimozhi and TR Baalu and Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav, met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in his chamber in Parliament.

Speaking on SIR debate in the Lok Sabha, SP chief and MP Akhilesh Yadav said he agrees with Congress’ suggestion that EC appointments should be more transparent and that “we should return to paper ballots”.

Addressing the House, Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge said the Congress always had a habit of singing ‘Vande Mataram’ but those who didn’t use to, now have started it as well.

“This is the power of ‘Vande Mataram.’ I pay my tribute to those who sacrificed their lives… Congress made ‘Vande Mataram’ the slogan of freedom. You are against everything. You were never in favour of patriotic songs, the Independence and Freedom struggle,” he added.

Speaking in Rajya Sabha during debate on ‘Vande Mataram, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he has list of INDI alliance leaders who said they won’t sing the song.

“…I have the list of them, had said that they will not sing ‘Vande Mataram’. I have seen it myself, several members walk out of the House whenever ‘Vande Mataram’ is sung,” he added.

Speaking in Rajya Sabha during debate on ‘Vande Mataram’, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “Several people like me, whether the Congress likes it or not, believe that the Partition of country would not have taken place if Vande Mataram would have been divided into two parts due to policy of appeasement.”

He added that some people want to diminish importance of ‘Vande Mataram’ by trying to link it to Bengal elections.

Speaking on Vande Mataram, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that policy of apeasement “started by breaking Vande Mataram; had it not happened, country would not have been divided.”

He said when the song turned 100, emergency was imposed. “opposition leaders were thrown in jail…country held captive,” he added.

Speaking in Lok Sabha, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said that many complaints were made against the fraud that happened during (UP) byelections and Lok Sabha elections but no action was taken by the Election Commission

“… 2027 (Assembly Election) is approaching and I am saying this on the floor of the House, if an unbiased election will be conducted then BJP won’t win any seats,” he said.

Addressing the Lok Sabha on Vande Mataram, Home Minister Amit Shah said that “Vande Mataram energised India’s freedom struggle.

“Vande Mataram also gives inspiration to people to move forward on the path of culture,” he added.

The minister further said, “We don’t abstain from Parliament, nor run away from discussing issues; ready to discuss anything.”

On Opposition initiating debate on electoral reforms, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said it is healthy that Parliament is the right forum to discuss all these issues.

“There are some issues about the fact that the Election Commission is not subject to the legislative oversight, but electoral reforms are a legitimate subject for electoral oversight, I mean for parliamentary oversight, and therefore a parliamentary discussion I think is very welcome. It’s good that people are able to air all their concerns…” the leader added.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah opens debate on Vande Mataram in Rajya Sabha.

Speaking in Lok Sabha on election reforms, Congress MP Manish Tewari says. “I demand the government present before the Parliament the reasons in writing for conducting SIR in different constituencies.”

Speaking on electoral reforms in Lok Sabha, Congress leader Manish Tewari said, “Biggest election reform was carried out by Rajiv Gandhi by reducing voting age from 21 to 18.”

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday began discussion on electoral reforms and the ongoing SIR in the country. Congress leader Manish Tewari began the debate in the lower house.