Congress leader Rahul Gandhi declared his readiness to engage in a public debate with Prime Minister Narendra Modi amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Gandhi expressed his willingness during a “Samvidhan Sammelan [Constitution Conference]” in Lucknow, an event organized by the Samruddha Bharat Foundation. However, he also noted his skepticism about Modi accepting the debate challenge, as reported by PTI.
At the event, Gandhi, who represents the Wayanad constituency in Kerala, candidly acknowledged the need for changes within his party, admitting past mistakes without detailing the specific changes planned.
The call for a public debate was echoed by notable figures such as Justices Madan Lokur and AP Shah, former judges of the Supreme Court and Delhi High Court, respectively, and N Ram, a former editor of The Hindu. They had extended an invitation for a debate to both Modi and Gandhi, emphasizing that a non-partisan and non-commercial public debate would enrich democratic engagement and educate citizens.
The suggestion for the debate aims to set a precedent for transparency and healthy democratic discourse, reflecting the robust nature of India’s democracy. This proposal arose from the context of both Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Gandhi’s Congress raising significant issues during the election campaign.
However, the response from the BJP was dismissive, with leaders like Tejasvi Surya questioning Gandhi’s standing to challenge Modi. Surya, a BJP MP, argued on the social platform X that Gandhi is not even his party’s prime ministerial candidate, let alone a candidate for the broader INDI Alliance, suggesting that Gandhi should first be officially declared as the Congress’s prime ministerial candidate and accept accountability for any potential electoral losses before challenging Modi to a debate. He mentioned that until then, the BUP is prepared to have their BJYM spokespersons engage with Gandhi in debate.
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— ANI (@ANI) May 11, 2024