"Don't be afraid": RaGa on debate vs PM Modi

New Delhi: Reiterating once again that he is ready for an open debate with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at "any platform, any time, any place", Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah to convince the Prime Minister to accept the challenge, and not to "confuse him".

In a post on X, Gandhi directly addressed the Union Home Minister, a day after Amit Shah accepted the challenge and instead called on the LoP in Lok Sabha to discuss the issue on the proper forum, which is inside the Parliament. HM Shah has said that the Centre is ready to convene a special session if the Congress requests it formally.

However, Gandhi said that Shah should "not confuse" the Prime Minister, and instead just convince him to have an open debate, saying that there is no need to be "afraid".

"Amit Shah ji, don't confuse Modi ji. Just convince him to have an open debate with me. Any platform, any time. Don't be afraid," said Gandhi on X.

Gandhi had earlier challenged Prime Minister Modi to an open debate, expressing his willingness to participate on any platform and at any time.

Gandhi's remarks came amid an escalating political confrontation between the BJP and Opposition parties over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with Shah on Thursday accepting the Congress leader's challenge while daring him to raise the issue in Parliament.

Addressing a rally in Karnal, Haryana, as part of the BJP's 'Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy' campaign, HM Shah challenged Gandhi to engage in a parliamentary discussion, saying the government was ready to convene a special session if the Congress formally requested a debate.

"If you (Rahul Gandhi) wish to engage in a responsible discussion, if your concerns hold truth, substance, and logic, then come and discuss them inside Parliament. Let's face each other head-on! But you won't be able to handle the answers; as always, you will just run away," Shah said.

The latest exchange followed Gandhi's social media poll on Tuesday, in which he asked young Indians whether they wanted to see an open debate between him and Prime Minister Modi. He had also tagged senior BJP leaders, including Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, urging them to convince the Prime Minister to accept his challenge.

Meanwhile, the political dispute over SIR continued to intensify, with BJP leaders defending the exercise through rallies and Opposition parties organising protests in different states, demanding that it be scrapped.

Shah addressed a rally in Karnal, while former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and other INDIA bloc leaders participated in a protest at Bengaluru's Freedom Park, demanding the withdrawal of SIR and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) also announced a protest against SIR in Kochi on November 7, marking its first major demonstration since its leaders were detained in Delhi during an attempted protest at Jantar Mantar last month.

The dispute over SIR has emerged as a major political flashpoint, with the BJP and Opposition parties trading allegations over democratic institutions and parliamentary processes.