Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday led the BJP’s ‘Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao’ (Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy) Maha Padayatra through central Hyderabad, targeting the Congress over its opposition to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The one-kilometre march, organised by the Telangana unit of the BJP, began near the Dr Babu Jagjivan Ram statue opposite Nizam College in Basheerbagh and concluded at Mozamjahi Market in Nampally, where Shah addressed party workers and supporters.
The march came a day after the INDIA bloc’s rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi, which focused on alleged ‘vote chori’ and the SIR exercise. BJP workers and supporters participated in the Hyderabad demonstration, while police made security and traffic arrangements along the route.
Earlier, Shah arrived at Begumpet airport, where he was received by Union Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy and other BJP leaders. He also offered prayers at the Sri Bhagya Laxmi Mata temple near Charminar.
Shah accuses Congress of protecting infiltrators
Addressing the gathering, Shah described the INDIA bloc’s Delhi rally as a ‘Ghuspaithiya Bachao’ (Save Infiltrators) rally and accused the Congress of opposing SIR to protect alleged infiltrators from removal from electoral rolls.
He said the BJP supported the revision exercise and maintained that only Indian citizens should be allowed to vote. Shah alleged that the Congress and its allies were treating infiltrators as a vote bank.
Responding to the Opposition’s claim that the exercise could result in the deletion of 13 crore voter entries, Shah said the figure included people who had moved, deceased voters, duplicate entries and names of people who did not exist.
He cited figures of approximately 6.25 crore people who had shifted, nearly 2.8–3 crore deceased voters, around one crore duplicate entries and about three crore allegedly non-existent entries.
The figures and allegations were part of Shah’s argument in support of the revision exercise and were not independently verified at the event.
Challenges Rahul Gandhi to special Parliament session
Shah challenged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to a special session of Parliament to discuss electronic voting machines (EVMs), SIR and the issue of alleged infiltrators.
He questioned the Congress’s criticism of EVMs, asking how the party had come to power in Telangana and how governments had been elected in other States if the machines were faulty.
Referring to the BJP’s electoral victories in several States, Shah expressed confidence that the party would expand its political presence in Telangana.
He also recalled Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s role in the integration of Hyderabad into the Indian Union.
Targets Telangana government
Shah criticised Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, alleging that Telangana had become a source of funds for Congress leaders in Delhi.
He also questioned the implementation of the Congress government’s six guarantees and alleged that the ruling party had failed to fulfil its promises.
Shah accused the Congress, the BRS and the AIMIM of failing to address corruption and land-related issues in the State, claiming that the BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership could provide an alternative.
He reiterated the BJP’s commitment to expanding its presence in Telangana and said the party would seek to remove alleged infiltrators from electoral rolls.
The Hyderabad padayatra was part of the BJP’s wider campaign defending the SIR process and the Election Commission. Similar demonstrations were reported in other cities, including Kolkata.
The march highlighted the intensifying political confrontation over electoral-roll revision, with the BJP defending the exercise and the INDIA bloc raising concerns over alleged electoral irregularities.
