New Delhi | Congress president Rahul Gandhi challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to debate with him on national security, corruption and foreign policy.
Gandhi, while addressing a gathering at its manifesto release event at the party headquarters here, claimed that the prime minister was “scared” and did not want to have a “real debate”.
Asked about BJP’s pitch on issues pertaining to “Hindus” and nationalism, the Congress chief said: “We all are Hindus, but the country needs employment, there is a need to help the farmers in the country, the country needs NYAY, there is a need to take care of women, give reservation to women.”
“Narendra Modi is trying to hide, he is scared, he doesn’t want to have a real debate. I challenge Narendra Modiji that he should debate with me on corruption, on national security, on foreign policy,” Gandhi said.
Gandhi has been repeatedly daring the Prime Minister to debate him on national security issues, especially the Rafale fighter jet deal, asserting that when it happens truth will be in front of the people.
He also asked the media persons to question the prime minister as to why he is “scared of facing a press conference”.
“You ask me questions, but you are scared of him. Ask him ‘Mr Prime Minister why are you scared of the people of India, why are you scared of the press’…We will defeat him in the polls,” Gandhi said.
Asked if he would be the next prime minister, Gandhi said it was up to the people of India to decide.
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh, in his remarks at the event, said that it was a unique day in the history of the Congress party as it was releasing a “forward looking document which sums up the aspirations of the people of India”.
“The purpose of manifesto is to spell out the direction of the Congress party to move forward at a faster speed towards an inclusive economy and polity,” he said.
Referring to the Congress’ NYAY scheme, Singh said the UPA made “very impressive progress” of bringing people out of poverty.
“We must better that record and we must make sure that in the year 2030 we would have got rid of poverty from this land of ours,” he said.
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