'People will reclaim the republic': Rahul targets Modi, Shah, says govt's 'expiry date is near'

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, today (18 October) said that the clock was already ticking on the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah and that the day is not far when the people of India reclaim the republic.

Speaking at a rally in Goa, Gandhi said the people had seen through the BJP leadership and that no amount of force or money could change their minds.

"The country's soul has understood the truth behind Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. Once that happens, there's nothing more they can do. They can deploy as much force as they want, they can spend as much money as they want on marketing. When the country's soul has made up its mind and has understood what's going on, that's the day their rule has ended. They both know this and Gyanesh Kumar definitely knows this, which is why he can't sleep at night."

"Have you seen his face recently? Where is the 56-inch chest? Today, Narendra Modi cannot face the people. Amit Shah, too, knows that it's all but over. The youth of this country are up in arms against them. He can't sleep at night. Their expiry date is near. They will not be able to save themselves from us. It is not long from now," he added.

"What's happening in the country is there for all of you to see. The whole country knows without any doubt that Gyanesh Kumar is implementing vote theft, Amit Shah is operationalising it, and Modi is planning the whole thing from the background."

'No action on me': Gandhi cites defamation cases

Gandhi cited the defamation cases against him, saying that no case had been filed against him for calling PM Modi a vote thief, adding that any such case would bring the alleged electoral irregularities to light. He also alleged that electoral manipulation had taken place in several states.

"There are more than 45 defamation cases against me. But in each state, I say Narendra Modi is a vote chor. But to date, there's no defamation case against me for calling Narendra Modi a vote chor. But if there's a case, then the whole legal matter will be uncovered. The reality is that, and we have proved it, in MP, Haryana, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Bengal and Assam, they have committed vote theft. Opposition votes are deleted and their own votes are increased. Voters are shifted from one district to another, from one state to another," he said.

'Responsibility of Congress to catch vote theft': Gandhi

Gandhi said it would be the responsibility of Congress workers to remain alert during elections, defend the Constitution and catch vote theft as it happens.

"In Delhi, we've ensured that Gyanesh Kumar cannot sleep at night, nor can Amit Shah or Narendra Modi, because they know that one day or the other, sooner or later, the Congress will ensure justice. Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and Gyanesh Kumar will face justice and pay the price for what they have done," he added.

Gandhi attended the final leg of the month-long Goy Rakhonn Yatra, a statewide staggered march undertaken by the state Congress ahead of the state elections expected early next year. The yatra aims to highlight issues such as land conversion, land grabbing, hill cutting, corruption, fraud, unemployment, the sale of government jobs and a government that prioritises business interests over the needs of the people.

"Goa is a paradise, one of the most beautiful states in the country but here your government is stealing your land and selling it to outsiders for crores. First there was the masterplan, they have nixed it. They are selling Goa's land to their friends, he said, accusing the BJP of turning Goa into their personal piggybank.

"Goa has the highest unemployment in the country. People are going abroad for work. BJP workers are getting richer and richer. The CM's assets are growing. The youth have no future. The whole system has been upended," he further said.

The yatra saw the participation of Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, who took part in various stages as the march moved through the state. Other participants included Congress leaders Sachin Pilot and K C Venugopal.

Goa is expected to go to the polls in early 2027, alongside states such as Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab. The Congress, which won 11 seats in the 40-member Assembly in 2022, currently has only three MLAs after eight of its 11 legislators defected to the BJP in the same year they were elected.