KARNAL — Union Home Minister Amit Shah delivered a sharp response to Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, urging him to engage in a formal parliamentary debate rather than staging street demonstrations, and offering to convene an extraordinary legislative session to discuss electoral processes.
Addressing a public gathering in Karnal, Haryana, the Home Minister challenged the primary opposition leadership to shift its grievances regarding electoral roll revisions from public rallies to the floor of Parliament.
Offer for Extraordinary Legislative Session
Addressing Gandhi’s repeated public dares for a broadcasted debate with Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding electoral transparency and national policy, Shah maintained that constitutional bodies remain the sole venue for executive scrutiny:
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Proposal for Special Session: Shah declared that if the opposition is serious about debating the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, it should formally write to the Prime Minister, assuring that the government stands ready to convene a special parliamentary session.
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Criticism of Outdoor Demonstrations: The Home Minister condemned the practice of bypassing legislative chambers to gather crowds on the streets, characterizing such moves as attempts to create political instability rather than participate in constructive democratic discourse.
Defense of Election Commission and Recent Mandates
Rejecting demands from the opposition for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the Home Minister defended the independence of the election oversight body:
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Electoral Track Record: Shah dismissed claims attributing recent election results to procedural roll revisions, pointing out that the opposition faced defeat across consecutive general elections in 2014, 2019, and 2024, as well as state assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra, well outside the scope of the current revision exercise.
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Call for Transparency: Turning the focus back to opposition leadership, Shah asserted that public officials holding constitutional posts must maintain transparency regarding their frequent international visits, arguing that citizens have a right to be informed about foreign travel by elected representatives.
