Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday accepted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s challenge for a debate, asserting, however, that Parliament remains the appropriate forum for discussing matters of national importance.
Addressing a rally in Haryana’s Karnal during the BJP’s ‘Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy’ foot march, Shah said the Union government was ready to convene a special session of Parliament to discuss any concerns raised by the Opposition.
“If you (Rahul Gandhi) 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! But you won’t be able to handle the answers; as always, you will just run away,” Shah said.
The Home Minister dared the Congress leadership to follow the prescribed constitutional procedure and formally request a special session of Parliament.
“I want to challenge Rahul Gandhi directly. You challenge PM 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,” he said.
Dismissing the Opposition's public rallies as political gimmicks, Shah claimed that people would not be swayed by what he described as Rahul Gandhi's attempts to mislead them.
“Rahul ji, we are the people of the streets. The BJP will provide a fitting response to you in Parliament, in the Legislative Assemblies, in our villages and in our fields; and should you choose to gather crowds, BJP workers will be there to give you a befitting reply,” Shah said.
Stepping up his attack on the Congress leader, Shah accused Rahul Gandhi of repeatedly disrupting parliamentary proceedings and creating disorder instead of engaging in substantive discussions.
“You refuse to engage in discussions on substantive issues, having instead turned the creation of a ruckus and the staging of walkouts into the very culture of the Congress party. You prevent Parliament from operating, choosing instead to gather crowds on the streets and spread anarchy, much like an anarchist,” Shah said.
