‘Government ready for special session’: Amit Shah challenges Congress to debate SIR in Parliament

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday challenged the Congress and other Opposition parties to take up a detailed discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Parliament, asserting that the Narendra Modi government was ready to convene a special session for the purpose.

Addressing the closing ceremony of the Chhattisgarh Rajyotsav, Shah said the government had no objection to a thorough debate on the electoral roll revision but accused the Congress of preventing Parliament from functioning.

He particularly challenged the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to participate in a meaningful parliamentary discussion rather than disrupt proceedings and organise what he described as a mock Parliament.

“If you have the courage, come forward and engage in a proper debate. Simply carrying a copy of the Constitution does not equate to upholding it, one’s conduct must be constitutional,” Shah said.

#WATCH | Raipur, Chhattisgarh: Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, "The Congress party has consistently supported unconstitutional governments and parallel parliaments...they also mocked the actual Parliament by setting up a mock parliament and staging a charade of debate. I want to tell you, Rahul Gandhi, that the Narendra Modi government is prepared to discuss every single issue. We are ready to convene a special session to hold discussions on SIR...you have brought Parliament to a standstill—you have effectively held it hostage. Now, allow Parliament to function and engage in a proper debate. The people of this country will then see for themselves who is speaking the truth and who is not."

— ANI (@ANI) November 3, 2026

Shah accuses Congress of stalling Parliament

The Home Minister alleged that the Congress had brought parliamentary proceedings to a standstill and urged the party to allow the House to function.

He said a proper debate would give members an opportunity to put forward their arguments and allow the public to judge who was presenting facts and who was spreading misinformation.

Shah reiterated that the Modi government was prepared to discuss the SIR exercise in detail, along with the concerns and allegations raised by the Opposition.

He maintained that the government had nothing to hide and was willing to face scrutiny, provided parliamentary proceedings were allowed to continue without disruption.

SIR row fuels Opposition-government confrontation

Shah’s remarks come amid continuing Opposition protests over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and allegations of large-scale voter deletions.

Opposition parties have been demanding a discussion on electoral issues, while the government has accused them of disrupting parliamentary proceedings.

Rejecting the idea of taking political disagreements to parallel platforms or street demonstrations, Shah said democratic debate should take place inside Parliament.

He also reiterated that respect for the Constitution must be reflected in one’s actions and conduct, rather than merely carrying a copy of the document.

The Home Minister said the people of the country would be able to judge the competing claims once the issue was debated properly on the floor of Parliament.

His remarks amount to a direct challenge to the Congress and other Opposition parties to allow parliamentary proceedings to resume and take up the SIR issue through a formal debate.

(with agencies input)