Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday, 27 September 2026, sharply escalated his attack on the Indian National Congress at Sabarmati Station, Ahmedabad, alleging Rs 12 lakh crore in corruption during the previous UPA government and contrasting that record with railway infrastructure spending under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The remarks came during the inauguration of several railway projects in the city.

Key Allegations Against Congress

Speaking before a large gathering, Shah demanded that Congress leaders face a public debate backed by data. 'What did you do in 10 years apart from scams, scandals and corruption worth Rs 12 lakh crore?' the Home Minister said, referring to the period of the Congress-led UPA government. He added that no allegation of corruption involving even 'four annas' had been levelled against Prime Minister Modi across his 12 years in office.

It is worth noting that the Rs 12 lakh crore corruption figure is a claim Shah has repeatedly advanced in political settings and is not a figure derived from any court verdict or independent audit. The Congress has consistently contested such characterisations.

Railway Allocation Figures: Gujarat Comparison

Shah anchored much of his address in railway budget data for Gujarat. He stated that the state received Rs 589 crore annually for railways during 2009–14, while the allocation for 2026–27 has risen to Rs 17,366 crore — an increase the Railway Ministry has described as more than 29 times. The Home Minister cited these as Railway Ministry figures, giving the comparison an official basis.

This data point formed the centrepiece of his argument that governance quality — measured in infrastructure investment — has transformed under the current dispensation. He challenged Congress leaders to 'discuss with figures' rather than make what he termed 'nonsense' claims about the present government's performance.

Projects Inaugurated at Sabarmati

The Sabarmati event was more than a political platform — it marked the commissioning of several significant railway works. These included the inauguration of a Rs 700-crore WAG-12 locomotive maintenance shed, the commissioning of the Kavach anti-collision system on key Ahmedabad Division sections, automatic signalling upgrades, doubling of the Sabarmati–Sarkhej section, and the launch of India's first LNG-powered train.

Shah thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, and senior railway officials for the redevelopment of Sabarmati Station. He also noted that the station's connectivity has markedly improved, with links to the Metro and state transport facilities now operational.

Political Context and What It Signals

This comes amid an intensifying BJP campaign to frame the Congress's decade in power as synonymous with corruption, a narrative the party has deployed ahead of multiple state elections. Shah's choice of a railway inauguration as the backdrop is deliberate — infrastructure is a key plank of the BJP's governance pitch, and Gujarat's rail allocations serve as a local proof point.

Notably, the Rs 12 lakh crore figure is a recurring motif in BJP rhetoric, though it has not been adjudicated by any independent body. Critics argue that framing all UPA-era governance failures under a single corruption number conflates policy decisions with criminal misconduct. Whether Congress responds with a counter-data push — as Shah has directly invited — will shape the next phase of this political exchange.