Amit Shah Karnal Rally: Challenges Rahul Gandhi to SIR Debate in Parliament

Union Home Minister Amit Shah led the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ‘Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao’ (Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy) foot march in Karnal, Haryana, on Thursday, 5 November 2026, and addressed the concluding rally of the campaign’s first phase. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini received Shah on his arrival in Karnal and joined the march, while Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Bharatiya Janata Party Haryana in-charge Smriti Irani and senior party leaders were also present. The march set out from Sector 12 and ended at Dayanand Chowk, where Shah addressed the public rally.

At the rally, Shah challenged Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi to debate the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Parliament. “If you wish to engage in a responsible discussion, if your concerns hold truth, substance, and logic, then come and discuss them inside Parliament,” he said, adding that the government is ready to convene a special session for the debate and warning of a “fitting reply”. Shah accused the Congress leader of practising “anarchy” and said the people of the country are not with the Congress.

Shah questioned why Rahul Gandhi had raised concerns about SIR only now. “Where was SIR in 2014, when the Congress suffered a complete defeat? Where was it in 2019, when you lost?” he asked. He pointed out that the Congress also lost the 2024 Lok Sabha elections despite there being no SIR, and referred to the party’s defeats in Haryana and Maharashtra. Haryana Bharatiya Janata Party chief Archana Gupta also criticised Rahul Gandhi at the event.

Campaign under Bharatiya Janata Party National President Nitin Nabin to continue till 30 November

The Karnal march marked the close of the first phase of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s nationwide campaign, which ran from 22 October to 5 November 2026 at party headquarters across the country, covering around 600 districts. The second phase is scheduled from 11 to 30 November 2026. The campaign is conducted under the direction of Bharatiya Janata Party National President Nitin Nabin and aims to raise public awareness about the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, voter-list accuracy and constitutional processes. Smriti Irani reviewed the arrangements for the Karnal event on Wednesday, 4 November.

The Karnal rally brought the first phase of the campaign to a close in Haryana, with the party using the event to press its case on the revision of electoral rolls and to take on the Congress over its criticism of the process. With the second phase set to run later this month, the campaign will now move to party headquarters across the country.