'Modi Won’t Remain PM After Debate With Me': Rahul Gandhi Renews Challenge

On Friday, Rahul Gandhi again pressed for a face-to-face debate with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said Modi would be out of office after it. He said he wanted a direct exchange, not long speeches, and suggested industrialist Gautam Adani or RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat could judge the event.

He made the comments during an Instagram "Ask Me" session after a question on why he was pushing for a public debate when the BJP said Parliament was the appropriate forum. Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said he preferred a face-to-face exchange over long speeches. He also said he was not being permitted to speak in the Lok Sabha and alleged that his microphone had been switched off.

The remarks add to Gandhi’s repeated calls for an open debate with Modi and have drawn criticism from BJP leaders and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Instagram Ask Me Exchange

Gandhi addressed the Parliament argument.

Replying to a question during the Instagram session about why he wanted a public debate instead of using Parliament, Gandhi said he was being prevented from speaking in the Lok Sabha. He alleged that his microphone had been turned off in the House.

"You did not let me talk on the farm bills, vote chori, SIR, China, on (Gen) Naravane's book, Epstein. I want a one-on-one debate. I don't want a debate entailing long speeches," the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha said.

He said his criticism reflected what he saw as limits on raising issues inside the House. The matters he listed included farm bills, vote chori, SIR, China, (Gen) Naravane's book and Epstein.

Debate Format Proposal

Gandhi also sketched the kind of debate he wants.

He said the exchange should be face to face, with each side free to make accusations without turning the event into a set of long speeches. He pictured the two men seated across a table.

"I want that Narendra Modi makes allegations against me and I do the same to him. He can come; there will be a table, on one side there will be Narendra Modi ji and on the other side, it would be me," he said.

He added that Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani or Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat could serve as the judge for the proposed debate. "But I guarantee that the prime minister will not remain the PM after a one-on-one debate with me," he said.

Political Backlash Mounts

Gandhi has made similar calls before.

In an earlier challenge, he said he would need only five minutes to show that the prime minister was a "traitor".

BJP leaders have dismissed his demands, saying he should use Parliament rather than avoid debates there when questioning the government on the floor of the House. The criticism from the BJP has focused on Parliament as the proper forum for such exchanges.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has also questioned Gandhi’s preference for another venue. She said Parliament already offers a place for debate and asked him to show "some seriousness and responsibility" in his role as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.