GUWAHATI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accepted the invitation for a public debate with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, signalling a potential showdown of ideologies amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Expressing eagerness for either himself or party chief Mallikarjun Kharge to participate, Gandhi underscored the significance of such a debate in providing voters with a comprehensive understanding of the visions put forth by major political contenders while dispelling baseless allegations.
“It would be a positive initiative for the major parties to present their vision to the country from one platform for a healthy democracy,” Gandhi stated in a social media post.
Furthermore, Gandhi reiterated his preparedness to engage in what he termed a “productive and historic debate”, contingent upon Prime Minister Modi’s acceptance to finalise the logistics and format of the discussion.
However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swiftly launched a counter-offensive, raising doubts about Rahul’s credentials as the Congress’s prime ministerial candidate and questioning the legitimacy of Gandhi’s invitation.
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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma led the BJP’s charge, rebuking Gandhi for failing to utilise parliamentary avenues for such engagements and questioning the necessity for Prime Minister Modi to engage in debate with an individual “lacking credibility even within his own party”.
“The platform of Parliament was available to the gentleman called Rahul Gandhi to debate with the government. Did he ever utilise that platform?” Sarma questioned on social media.
The invitation for the public debate originated from two former judges and a veteran journalist on May 9.
Former Supreme Court judge Madan B Lokur, former High Court Chief Justice AP Shah, and veteran journalist N Ram extended the invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, urging them to engage in a discourse on the key issues shaping the ongoing election landscape.
