Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an open debate on Monday, 2 November. He alleged that Modi became Prime Minister with foreign help and continues to hold this post only with foreign help. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had raised questions on the role of the opposition on October 31. He had accused the opposition that a conspiracy is being hatched to weaken the country with the help of anti-national forces by going abroad. Rahul Gandhi has challenged the PM on this very allegation.
In October, the opposition had held several demonstrations demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. On Sunday, November 1, the opposition India Alliance had organized a mega rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi. In which allegations of collusion between the Modi government and the Election Commission were made. And the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar was demanded. Many big opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and Mamata Banerjee participated in it. The opposition is continuously accusing the Election Commission of vote theft through Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The Election Commission has rejected these allegations and described the SIR process as a campaign to correct the voter list. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been defending the Election Commission and accusing Rahul Gandhi and the opposition of weakening democratic institutions.
While sharing a screenshot of a news from the English news website Indian Express, Rahul Gandhi wrote, "Modi ji, stop lying to this country." The headline of the screenshot of the news shared by Rahul Gandhi is, "PM Modi said - obstructive forces are trying to divide the country, using social media to spread rumours." Rahul wrote, "You became the Prime Minister with foreign help and remain the Prime Minister only with foreign help. Your economic system is completely under the control and support of foreigners. The foreign social media is completely standing with you. I challenge you for an open debate on this issue. Any platform, any time. If you have the courage, come. You will not come, because from what I know about you, you are afraid."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the people on the National Unity Day program in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat on 31 October. This program was organized on the occasion of the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. In his speech, Modi said that the responsibility of the opposition in a democracy is to oppose the policies of the government, but today the opposition has abandoned this responsibility and become a force to obstruct. He had said, "The responsibility of the opposition in a democracy is to oppose the policies of the government. But unfortunately in today's India, the opposition has abandoned its duty and instead of the opposition, it has become an obstacle. In its frustration and disappointment, it has started putting obstacles in the way of the development of the country. This is not opposition, it is an obstacle. They have made it the basis of their politics. They are engaged in sabotaging the dignity and spirit of the Constitution."
After this, Modi, referring to the 'forces conspiring to divide the country', said, "We have to identify who is secretly meeting whom abroad, who is supporting anti-India forces and who is speaking the language of India's enemies. We have to recognize these methods. We have to face them unitedly." Modi had also expressed concern over the use of social media. He had said, "Especially the way social media is being used as a weapon, the way rumors are being spread and efforts are being made to tarnish the image of India, all citizens will have to unite to deal with them."
However, in his speech, Modi did not name any leader and say whom he was meeting abroad or who was getting support from anti-India forces. Rahul Gandhi raised this issue of foreign support in his reply. He accused Modi of coming and remaining in power with foreign help. He also claimed about India's economic system and the support of foreign social media platforms. However, Rahul Gandhi did not specify in his post which foreign help or which foreign powers he was talking about. He also did not provide any detailed information in support of his allegations. He challenged the Prime Minister for a public debate on these issues.
