NEW DELHI, Nov 13: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday renewed his challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a direct public debate, claiming that the outcome of a one on one exchange between the two leaders could bring an end to Modi’s tenure as Prime Minister.
During an interactive ‘Ask Me’ session on Instagram, Gandhi was asked why he continued to demand a public debate when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had maintained that Parliament was the appropriate platform for such an exchange.
Responding to the question, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha alleged that he was not given sufficient opportunities to speak in Parliament and claimed that his microphone had also been switched off during important discussions.
Gandhi referred to several contentious subjects, including the farm laws, alleged electoral irregularities, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, China’s actions, former Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane’s book and the Jeffrey Epstein controversy.
“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,” he said.
Explaining the format he wanted, Gandhi proposed a direct confrontation in which both leaders would have an opportunity to question each other and respond to allegations without lengthy political speeches.
He suggested that Modi and he should sit across a table and engage in an open discussion, with both sides making their arguments directly before the public.
“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,” Gandhi said.
The Congress leader also indicated that he would be comfortable with an independent judge overseeing the proposed discussion. He named Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat as possible choices for the role.
Gandhi further expressed confidence in his ability to challenge the Prime Minister politically and argued that a direct exchange would expose differences between their positions.
“But I guarantee that the prime minister will not remain the PM after a one-on-one debate with me,” he asserted.
This is not the first time Gandhi has publicly challenged Modi to a debate. The Congress leader has repeatedly called for an open discussion on issues ranging from national security and economic policy to electoral transparency and the government’s handling of important political controversies.
On earlier occasions, he had also claimed that a brief exchange would be sufficient to establish his allegations against the Prime Minister, including his description of Modi as a “traitor”.
The BJP, however, has consistently dismissed Gandhi’s challenges and accused him of avoiding substantive discussions in Parliament.
The ruling party has argued that Parliament provides an established constitutional platform where the Opposition can question the government, raise public concerns and hold ministers accountable.
BJP leaders have maintained that the Prime Minister and other government representatives are answerable through parliamentary proceedings and that Gandhi should utilise those opportunities rather than insist on a separate public debate.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has also criticised the Congress leader’s demand, questioning why he was asking Modi to select a venue when Parliament itself offered an appropriate platform for political discussion.
She urged Gandhi to demonstrate greater seriousness and responsibility in his capacity as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
The disagreement reflects the continuing political confrontation between the Congress and the BJP over the functioning of Parliament and the Opposition’s role in holding the government accountable.
The Congress has repeatedly accused the government of limiting discussions on sensitive matters, while the BJP has countered that the Opposition must participate constructively in parliamentary proceedings instead of relying on public statements and political campaigns.
Among the issues highlighted by Gandhi is the controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, which has become a major point of disagreement between the Opposition and the Election Commission.
The Congress and several other opposition parties have raised concerns over voter verification procedures and alleged irregularities in the electoral process. The BJP has rejected the allegations and defended the exercise as part of efforts to maintain accurate electoral records.
Gandhi’s reference to China and General Naravane’s book also reflects the Opposition’s continued focus on national security and the government’s handling of developments along the India-China border.
Meanwhile, his mention of the Epstein controversy brings another issue into the political debate, although he did not elaborate on the specific points he wanted to raise during the proposed exchange.
The latest remarks are likely to intensify the political war of words between the two major national parties, particularly as both continue to question each other’s positions on governance, accountability and democratic institutions.
While Gandhi has presented a direct public debate as an opportunity for the Prime Minister to answer his allegations, the BJP has maintained that parliamentary proceedings remain the appropriate forum for such discussions.
No agreement for the proposed one-on-one debate has been announced, and the two sides continue to hold sharply different positions on the issue.