New Delhi [India], November 3 (ANI): Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday intensified his challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an open debate, launching a poll on social media platform X asking young Indians whether they wanted to see the two leaders engage in a face-to-face discussion.
In a post on X, Gandhi tagged senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, urging them to convince the Prime Minister to accept his challenge.
“Youth of India, Do you want to see a Rahul Gandhi vs Narendra Modi open debate? @rajnathsingh ji, @nitin_gadkari ji, @ChouhanShivraj ji, @myogiadityanath ji – you always have the PM’s best interest in mind, please convince him to come,” Rahul Gandhi posted on X.
The poll featured two options: “Yes – Modi Ji, Daro Mat” and “No – Modi Ji, Dar Gaye”, with Gandhi taking a swipe at the Prime Minister.
The latest post comes after Rahul Gandhi renewed his challenge to PM Modi for an open debate on allegations concerning foreign connections, suggesting that the discussion could be held at any venue and even proposing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat as the judge.
In an earlier post shared on X, Gandhi had stated that 24 hours had passed since his initial challenge and urged the Prime Minister to come forward for a public face-off in the presence of the media and the youth.
“It’s been 24 hours since I challenged you, Modi ji. You say the Opposition is anti-national. Choose any stage, any venue, and debate me on this – Who is anti-national? Who has connections with foreign forces? And what is the nature of those connections? Let’s do this as soon as possible. Daro mat!” Gandhi had written.
Proposing the format, the Congress leader said both leaders could sit across a table, with the Prime Minister free to choose the moderator.
“We’ll both be there. The media will be there. The youth of this country will be there. There will be a table. You’ll sit on one side, I’ll sit on the other. You can appoint whoever you want as the judge. You can even make Mohan Bhagwat ji the judge,” he said.
“There will be questions about the financial system, the financial structure, how the US deal happened, why it happened and why so quickly, why you made the deal alone and didn’t inform the Cabinet, why the Adani case was closed, Epstein – and many other issues. We’ll discuss all of them openly. Let the truth come out. Let everything be crystal clear,” he added.
He further challenged the Prime Minister to file a defamation case against him over his allegations, stating that he was already facing several such cases.
“You make allegations against me, don’t you? Come forward. Everything will become clear. You’ve filed defamation cases against me over other matters. I think there are around 45 defamation cases against me. But on this issue of the debate, on the question of foreign connections, you haven’t filed a defamation case. Go ahead, file one. We’ll discuss that openly too. Happy Diwali, Modi ji,” Gandhi added.
The barrage of challenges follows Gandhi’s earlier allegations that PM Modi became and remained Prime Minister with foreign assistance and that India’s financial system was controlled and supported by foreign forces.
In his earlier post, Gandhi had written, “Mr Modi, stop lying to this nation. You became PM because of foreign help. You remain PM because of foreign help. Your financial system is fully controlled and supported by foreigners. Foreign social media fully backs you… I challenge you to an open debate about this. Any stage, any time. Come if you have the guts. You won’t dare, because you are terrified of what I know about you.”
The confrontation follows remarks made by Prime Minister Modi while addressing the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations marking the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the Statue of Unity in Gujarat, where he had criticised the opposition, accusing it of turning into an obstructionist force rather than discharging its democratic obligations.
PM Modi had also alleged that certain forces were conspiring to divide the country and questioned their engagements abroad alongside alleged backing from foreign forces. (ANI)
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