Rahul Gandhi challenges PM Modi to open debate following Amit Shah's parliamentary challenge

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to an open debate. Gandhi accused the Prime Minister of coming to power and staying in office with foreign support. He made this challenge after PM Modi stated that certain forces were trying to divide the country.

The Debate Challenge

Union Home Minister Amit Shah challenged Rahul Gandhi to a debate on electoral rolls in Parliament. Shah stated that the government was ready to call a special session for this discussion. In response, Gandhi wrote on X that the Prime Minister and the financial system were controlled by foreign forces. He told Modi to pick any time and venue for the debate.

Ramlila Maidan Protest

The open challenge follows a major protest held by the INDIA bloc at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan. Leaders of 21 Opposition parties gathered to protest against alleged electoral irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of voter lists. Protesters demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Election Commission and the BJP had manipulated voter rolls and facilitated vote theft.

Government Response

Prime Minister Modi accused the Opposition of acting as an obstructionist force in democracy. He claimed that certain groups were conspiring to divide the country and spread rumours on social media. Home Minister Amit Shah rejected allegations of vote deletion. Shah stated that names removed from electoral rolls belonged to people who had shifted, deceased persons, duplicate entries, and illegal immigrants. He also questioned why the Congress party accepted election results in states where it won if EVMs were supposedly faulty.

Context

The Special Intensive Revision of electoral lists is a periodic administrative process used to update voter databases. Debates over voter roll revisions and electronic voting machines frequently spark political clashes between the ruling party and opposition groups in India.