Streets will not prove favourable to you, debate in Parliament: Amit Shah to Rahul

Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday repeated his challenge to Lok Sabha Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi to debate the SIR in Parliament while warning that the BJP could mobilise even bigger crowds on the streets.

Shah's remarks appeared a response to Rahul's repeated dares to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to face him in an open, public debate.

"In a democracy, Parliament is the supreme forum for discussion. Rahulji, you do not allow Parliament to function," Shah, leading the BJP's counter-offensive against the Opposition's "vote chori" campaign for the second time this week, said after a "Save democracy, remove anarchy" march in Karnal, Haryana.

Shah added: "You prevent Parliament from functioning while gathering crowds on the streets to spread anarchy. Do you think our 80-year-old democracy will fall for your tricks?"

Questioning Rahul's call for a street-level debate, Shah asked people to decide whether political discussions in a democracy should be held in Parliament or on the streets. However, he claimed, a street debate would not favour Rahul.

"Rahulji, we are people of the streets. The BJP will respond to you in Parliament, in the legislative assemblies, and out in the villages -- in the fields and on the roads. And if it is a crowd you wish to gather, BJP workers will be there, too, to give you a fitting, hard-hitting reply," Shah said.

"These streets will not prove favourable to you. My advice to you is: Engage in discussion within Parliament."

Shah said that as leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul had a "constitutional responsibility" to uphold the dignity of Parliament. He said that for a street debate, a BJP youth wing leader was enough to confront Rahul.

"Rahulji, if you want a responsible discussion backed by truth, substance and logic, come to Parliament and debate the issue. Let us face each other directly," Shah said.

He said he was certain that the Congress leader would run away, unable to withstand his response.

Shah led a nearly 1km march, holding the BJP flag and accompanied by Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini and Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar. Earlier this week, Shah had led a similar march in Congress-ruled Telangana, holding the Tricolour.

The BJP had launched its "Save democracy, remove anarchy" marches on October 22 to counter the INDIA bloc's November 1 rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan against alleged "vote chori".

The BJP campaign concluded on Thursday, with Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath leading a similar march in Ghaziabad, adjoining Delhi. Shah claimed the party had held marches across 600 districts.

Shah repeated his allegation that Rahul was taking to the streets primarily to protect what he claimed were 3 crore "ghuspetiyas" (infiltrators) who, he said, had been removed from the electoral rolls through the SIR.

He said these 3 crore people hadn't come before the Election Commission because they were illegal immigrants.

Targeting Rahul over his foreign visits, Shah said the leader of the Opposition owed the public an explanation of his activities abroad. "People should know why he goes abroad, whom he meets there," he said.

Shah accused Rahul of being frustrated at the repeated electoral defeats.

"Modiji won in 2014. Was there an SIR? Modiji won in 2019 and 2024. Was it because of the SIR? The BJP has won several states post-2024 without an SIR," he said.