New Delhi: Upping the ante over his challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a debate, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Friday alleged that he has evidence to back his allegations against Modi on his phone, which he claimed was being “tapped by the prime minister”. Gandhi also claimed that a one-on-one debate with him would end Modi’s political career.
Responding to a question during an ‘Ask Me’ session on Instagram about why he was insisting on a public debate when the BJP has said the exchange could take place in Parliament, Gandhi said he was not allowed to speak in the House and that his microphone had even been switched off.
“You did not let me speak on the farm Bills, vote chori, SIR, China, (Gen) Naravane’s book and Epstein. I want a one-on-one debate. I don’t want a debate involving long speeches,” the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha said.
“I want Narendra Modi to make allegations against me and I will do the same to him. He can come; there will be a table, with Narendra Modi ji on one side and me on the other,” Gandhi said.
He added that he had no objection to Adani Group chairperson Gautam Adani or RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat being appointed as the judge for the debate.
“But I guarantee that the prime minister will not remain the PM after a one-on-one debate with me,” Gandhi said.
Responding to another question during the session, Gandhi said evidence to support all his allegations was on his phone, “which is tapped by the prime minister”.
He alleged that a one-on-one debate would establish who was controlled by foreign powers and who was an “anti-national”, adding that his phone contained details of these matters.
In a video posted on X, Gandhi also claimed, “The prime minister’s political career will be over if he comes and debates with me; he knows that and I know that.”
“He keeps calling me anti-national. I want to show the nation exactly who is anti-national, exactly who is controlled by whom and since when, and he knows the truth of that,” Gandhi said.
He further claimed that Modi had stopped attacking him because he was feeling pressured.
“Notice something: there is a little fear in his (Modi’s) mind because he is no longer commenting about me; he is no longer attacking me; he is being very, very careful. There is a reason for it, guys,” Gandhi said.
