Dehradun, October 14, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Veteran Congress leader and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Wednesday hit back at Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his allegations that Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was attempting to “shield infiltrators”, saying the Centre should focus on border security and deporting illegal migrants.
Rawat argued that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had been in power for nearly 12 years and should be held accountable for issues relating to infiltration and terrorism.
His remarks came a day after Shah accused Gandhi of using opposition to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to protect infiltrators. The Home Minister also predicted that the Congress leader would lose the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
Shah’s comments came amid the ongoing political confrontation over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise, with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar facing criticism from opposition parties.
Speaking to IANS, Rawat said border security was the responsibility of the Union government and asserted that the Congress would support strict measures to prevent infiltration.
“Border security is in your (BJP-led Centre’s) hands. No matter how strict the steps you take, we will support those actions. If infiltration is increasing and terrorism is still flourishing inside Kashmir, then questions should be asked to those who have been in power for the last 10 to 11 years. What is the point of directing these questions at Rahul Gandhi?” Rawat said.
Calling for stringent action against illegal migrants, he added, “Strict action should be taken against infiltrators. If possible, as we have been saying, deport them. There are crores of illegal Bangladeshis residing in India, why are you not deporting them?”
Rawat alleges BJP’s ‘vote theft’ has been exposed
Responding to the BJP’s criticism of the Opposition’s allegations of “vote chori”, Rawat claimed that the ruling party was reacting angrily because its alleged electoral malpractice had been exposed.
“Their anger is understandable as their (BJP’s) vote theft has been caught. Rahul Gandhi has been raising his voice against it earlier as well, and today, he is leading the INDIA bloc,” he said.
The former Uttarakhand Chief Minister further alleged that those responsible for the purported electoral wrongdoing were increasingly being exposed. He targeted Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the BJP-led Union government in his remarks.
Shah, meanwhile, had criticised Gandhi on Tuesday after the Congress leader vowed to continue the fight to “restore democracy” in the country. The Home Minister argued that the Congress had continued to lose elections since Gandhi assumed the party’s leadership.
The exchange reflects the continuing political confrontation between the BJP and the Opposition over electoral roll revisions, allegations of vote theft and the question of illegal infiltration.
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