‘My Challenge Stands’: Rahul Gandhi Dares PM Modi To Face Him In Open Debate

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday reiterated his challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to participate in an open debate over allegations of being anti-national and controlled by foreign forces.

In a post on X, Gandhi addressed personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), claiming that their expressions showed they did not believe the Prime Minister's remarks. He alleged that Modi had called opposition leaders Naxals and said the security personnel appeared unconvinced by his statements.

"My challenge stands. Let him debate me on who is anti-national and who is controlled by foreign forces. Any time, any place," Gandhi wrote. He further claimed that Modi would not have the courage to face even a single jawan after the debate.

The Congress leader's remarks came a day after Modi, during his Diwali celebrations with security personnel in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, warned that the threat of Naxalism had not completely disappeared. The Prime Minister said that although armed Naxalites had been eliminated from forests, 'Dimagi Naxals' (intellectual Naxals) had infiltrated several organisations and political parties.

Modi alleged that these elements were inciting people against the country's Constitution and democratic institutions. He called for identifying and defeating such forces to ensure national security.

The Prime Minister also criticised previous governments for restricting the freedom of security personnel engaged in anti-Naxal operations. He said his government had empowered security forces to take necessary decisions and worked to stop support for Left-Wing Extremism from certain sections within the government and administrative system.

Gandhi's renewed challenge follows his earlier allegations that Modi became and remained Prime Minister with foreign assistance and that foreign forces controlled and supported India's financial system. He had previously challenged the Prime Minister to an open debate, questioning his willingness to respond publicly to the allegations.