KARNAL: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday accepted the debate challenge thrown by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, while challenging him to take up substantive issues inside Parliament rather than raising them at public rallies.
Addressing a massive gathering during the BJP’s ‘Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy’ foot march in Karnal, Shah said the government was ready for a meaningful discussion if the Opposition had facts, arguments and evidence to support its concerns.
“If you wish to engage in a responsible discussion, if your concerns hold truth, substance and logic, then come and discuss them inside Parliament. Let’s face each other head-on,” Shah said, adding that Rahul Gandhi would have to respond to the government’s arguments.
Dismissing the Opposition’s public demonstrations as political gimmicks, the Home Minister said the Centre was prepared to convene a special session of Parliament to discuss the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, provided the Congress leadership followed the appropriate constitutional procedure.
“I want to challenge Rahul Gandhi directly. You challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a discussion? If you want a discussion, just write a letter to the Prime Minister. We are ready to convene a special session of Parliament to discuss the SIR exercise,” Shah said.
The Home Minister also asserted that the BJP was prepared to take on the Opposition at every political level, including Parliament, state legislatures and grassroots platforms.
Referring to the country’s democratic institutions, Shah said an 80-year-old democracy would not be shaken by what he described as the Opposition’s attempts to mislead the public.
He maintained that the BJP would respond politically to the Congress in Parliament, legislative assemblies and villages, asserting that party workers were prepared to counter the Opposition’s mobilisation efforts.
Shah described the ‘Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy’ rally as a strong political response to Rahul Gandhi and the Congress, reiterating that the BJP was ready to debate the issues raised by the Opposition on the floor of Parliament.
