Union Minister Smriti Irani didn't hold back in her response to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's acceptance of an invitation to engage in a public debate with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on key election issues. Irani's remarks were laced with sarcasm as she questioned Gandhi's credibility and suitability for such a debate.
Irani started by pointing out Gandhi's reluctance to contest against a BJP worker in his own constituency, implying that he lacked the courage to face challenges within his so-called stronghold. She further questioned Gandhi's readiness to debate with someone of Prime Minister Modi's stature, insinuating that he might not be up to the task.
"Who wants to sit at the same level as PM Modi and engage in a debate?" Irani rhetorically asked, before provocatively questioning whether Gandhi considered himself a prime ministerial candidate representing the INDIA bloc.
Irani's remarks were in response to Gandhi formally accepting an invitation for a public debate with PM Modi, extended by prominent figures including former Supreme Court judge Madan B Lokur, former High Court Chief Justice AP Shah, and senior journalist N Ram.
In her scathing critique, Irani also took aim at Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge for questioning the voter turnout data in the Lok Sabha elections. She accused the Congress of promoting divisive policies, such as proposing to redistribute citizens' wealth and reversing decisions on national issues like the Ram Temple.
Irani further suggested that if Kharge believed that informed voters should not engage in national politics, he perhaps shared the same mindset as Rahul Gandhi.
Kharge had earlier raised concerns about discrepancies in the voting data released by the Election Commission, questioning the credibility of the electoral process.
