In a post on social media platform X, Rahul Gandhi challenged PM Modi to debate who is anti-national, who has links with foreign powers and what the nature of those relationships is.
“Choose any platform, any place, and debate me on this: Who is anti-national? Who has links with foreign powers? And what is the nature of those relationships? Let's do this as soon as possible. It will be just the two of us. The media will be there, the country's youth will be there, and there will be one table. You will sit on one side, and I will sit on the other. You can appoint anyone you want as the judge. You can even appoint Mohan Bhagwat ji as the judge,” Rahul Gandhi wrote.
The latest challenge comes after Union Home Minister Amit Shah challenged Rahul Gandhi to demand a special session of Parliament and debate issues including Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Shah had accused Rahul Gandhi of carrying the Constitution but failing to respect it. He also alleged that the Congress leader was preventing Parliament from functioning.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman responded sharply to Rahul Gandhi's demand for a debate with the Prime Minister. In a post on X, she said that the venue for such a debate was already available in Parliament, where Rahul Gandhi serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
“Rahul ji, you are asking the Prime Minister to choose a place for a debate. The place is already there — Parliament, where you are the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Just yesterday, Home Minister Amit Shah offered a special session on SIR and EVMs. Why don't you show the same enthusiasm for debating in Parliament as you do for issuing challenges on social media? Along with demanding answers, there is also a responsibility to listen to the answers,” Sitharaman wrote.
She further said that Rahul Gandhi frequently speaks about protecting democracy and the Constitution but must demonstrate the same respect towards the institutions established by the Constitution.
“You keep talking about protecting democracy and the Constitution. But you should show the same respect to the institutions created by the Constitution. You say, 'Don't be afraid.' So bring the facts, face the investigation and wait to hear the answers. Follow the same standards of debate in the House that you demand from others,” she added.
JD(U) national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad also criticised Rahul Gandhi's approach, saying that if the Congress leader had even a little faith in parliamentary democracy, he should accept Amit Shah's challenge and raise the issues in Parliament.
The Congress, meanwhile, hit back at Amit Shah's proposal. The party said that if the Home Minister was serious about holding a debate, he should first ensure the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and suspend the SIR process.
The exchange has brought the debate over EVMs, electoral roll revision, parliamentary accountability and allegations concerning links with foreign powers into the political spotlight, with the Congress and the ruling side trading challenges over where and how these issues should be discussed.
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