Rahul Gandhi's PM dare logic: I tried to speak in Parliament. You turn off the mic

Responding to the BJP's criticism of Sonia Gandhi's memoir, Rahul said, 'they cannot resist reading it and then they have got to comment on it'

Lok Sabha Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday challenged Prime Minister to a presidential-style debate as he continued his "Ask Me Anything" trend on social media, replying to public queries with short videos.

To a question on why he insists on a public debate when the BJP wants it to happen in Parliament, Rahul said: "I tried to speak in Parliament. You turn off the mic."

He went on: "You did not let me speak on the farmer's bill. You did not let me speak on vote theft. You did not let me speak on the SIR. You did not let me speak on China. You did not let me speak on Naravane's book."

The Opposition has cited allegedly leaked excerpts from former army chief General M.M. Naravane's unpublished memoir to suggest that during the 2020 India-China border standoff, the government had abdicated its responsibility and left critical decisions to the military leadership.

"You did not let me speak on (US sex offender Jeffrey) Epstein (with whom Hardeep Singh Puri, who later became a minister in the Modi government, is said to have exchanged emails between 2014 and 2015). And I want a one-on-one debate. I do not want a debate of speeches (as in Parliament)," Rahul said.

"I want Narendra Modi to level allegations (at) me. I am levelling allegations (at) him.... As I said, there will be a table. On one side, Narendra Modiji. On the other side, me.

"You want to make Mr Adani a judge? You want to make Mohan Bhagwat a judge? All that is fine. But I am giving you a guarantee. After a one-on-one debate, the Prime Minister cannot remain the Prime Minister."

Rahul also asked: "Delhi's AQI or the debate invite, which one will Modi ignore more?"

To a demand for proof of his allegation that Modi is aided by foreign powers -- a charge the Prime Minister, too, has levelled against him -- Rahul replied: "It is in this phone. The Prime Minister knows it because he taps my phone."

He added: "The moment he comes for the debate, one-on-one debate, everybody will know who is controlled by foreign powers, who is an anti-national, since when he has been an anti-national and lots of other details that I know and that are on my phone."

On the BJP going after his mother and Congress parliamentary head Sonia Gandhi's memoir, Rahul replied: "Because it is a great book and they are all reading it. They cannot resist reading it and then they have got to comment on it. And a lot of them actually secretly like her and they think she is fantastic. But unfortunately, they cannot say it."