Addressing the 'Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao' march organized by the Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnal, Haryana, Union Home Minister Amit Shah responded directly to Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi's recent debate challenge. Shah asserted that if the Congress leader is genuinely interested in discussing national issues with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he should formally write a letter, and the government remains ready to convene a special session of Parliament to deliberate on SIR and related subjects.
Proposal for a Special Session and Debate on SIR
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the debate challenge previously thrown by Rahul Gandhi to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting that parliamentary procedures are the appropriate medium for such debates. Shah stated that rather than making public statements, the Opposition leader should send a written request to the Prime Minister, following which the administration would be willing to summon a special parliamentary session.
Addressing the claims made by the Opposition regarding the alleged removal of one crore votes, Shah pointed to the historical outcomes of past elections. He noted that during the General Elections in 2014, 2019, and 2024, as well as the state assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra, SIR was not in place, yet the Congress party suffered severe electoral defeats in all those contests.
Assessment of Electoral Track Record
Drawing a parallel to professional career evaluations, Amit Shah remarked that just as job applicants present their previous work credentials, public representatives are judged by their electoral track record. He presented data tracing the decline of Congress's legislative footprint over the years, stating that when Rahul Gandhi assumed the post of General Secretary in 2007, the party possessed nearly 1,200 state legislators across the country.
Shah further stated that when Gandhi became Vice President, the strength reduced to 900 MLAs, and further dropped to 700 during his tenure as Party President. Even after the Bharat Jodo Yatra in 2022, the count declined to approximately 600 MLAs. Shah contrasted this downward trend with the growth of the BJP, claiming that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stewardship, the number of BJP legislators and parliamentarians has consistently expanded.
School Kabaddi Analogy and Objections to Referees
Illustrating his point with a story from his school days, Amit Shah critiqued the Opposition's approach toward electoral outcomes. He recalled how his seventh-grade kabaddi team frequently won against older students. Frustrated by continuous defeats, the ninth-grade team held a meeting and concluded that the easiest way to secure victory was to brand the match referee as a 'cheater'.
Shah suggested that Rahul Gandhi appeared to have adopted a similar approach by questioning the electoral mechanism and accusing the system whenever faced with defeat. He concluded by criticizing the Congress leadership, alleging that creating parliamentary disruption and spreading political unrest had become central to the party's operational strategy after repeated electoral losses.
