Rahul Gandhi Repeats Debate Challenge To PM Modi, Nirmala Sitharaman Hits Back
In Short
Rahul Gandhi restated the challenge in the debate to PM Modi, Nirmala Sitharaman responds back.
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Rahul Gandhi
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has again challenged PM Narendra Modi to a public debate on his call, just as Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the Janata Dal (United) leaders appealed him to take up the issues in Parliament.
The political showdown follows a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah invited Gandhi to join him in a discussion on a range of issues such as Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and alleged infiltration. Shah also stated the government would be ready to call a special session of Parliament for the discussion.
But reacting to Gandhi's repeated call, Sitharaman said that Parliament would be the appropriate forum for a discussion since Gandhi is the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
"Rahul ji, you ask the Prime Minister to choose a venue for a debate. There is already one: Parliament," Sitharaman said in a post on X.
She pointed out to Shah that he had offered a special session and asked why Gandhi was not as enthusiastic to discuss it in the House as he was on social media where he gave challenges.
"Demanding answers also carries an obligation to hear them," she added.
Sitharaman also added that Gandhi's messages on safeguarding the democracy and the Constitution must be reflected in his behaviour towards the parliamentary institutions. She advised him to present facts and then face the debates and listen to the answers in the House.
JD(U) challenges Rahul Gandhi to take up Amit Shah's challenge
JD(U) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad also lashed out against Gandhi saying that he should come up with the issues he wants to discuss in Parliament if he has faith in parliamentary democracy.
Gandhi should take up Shah's challenge and attend the proposed special session, Prasad said.
In response to the Supreme Court's observations while hearing petitions relating to the Bihar SIR exercise, Prasad said the Supreme Court had clarified the Election Commission has the powers to conduct the revision and it was under the law.
He called Gandhi's methods to be against parliamentary democracy and wanted him to come to the House to take his grievances.
What Amit Shah Said!
Shah had questioned Gandhi on BJP's ‘Save democracy, remove anarchy' padayatra in Hyderabad.
He said the Congress leader is holding the Constitution in his hand, but neglecting the parliamentary proceedings. The government is ready to discuss the issue of infiltrators, SIR and EVMs in a special session, Shah said.
Shah had told Gandhi that 'Come for debate,' and Gandhi had done exactly that.Gandhi had done just that, come for debate, Shah had said.
Congress is asking for the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar
The Congress reacted to Shah, stating that if the government wanted to discuss it, then it should first take the first step by dismissal of Chief Election Commission Gyanesh Kumar and suspend the SIR exercise.
In the interim, Gandhi once again called PM Modi to a debate, saying he will pick any venue and platform.
Gandhi had posted on X that the discussion should be on who was anti-national, who had connections with foreign forces and what kind of connections.
He also proposed to have the media and the nation's youth at the debate. Gandhi told Modi that he had the freedom to appoint anyone as the judge, even RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.
The exchange has heightened the political conflict between the ruling BJP and Opposition on the electoral processes, functioning of parliament and allegations of foreign connections.
