Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament Sambit Patra criticized Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for calling for a debate with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that political discussions should take place in Parliament rather than on the streets.
Speaking at a press conference in Bengaluru, Patra asserted that Gandhi lacked the necessary data and understanding for such a debate and accused him of creating disorder. “Rahul Gandhi yesterday wanted to have a debate with the Prime Minister. It’s been 24 years. On one side the Prime Minister would be seated, and on the other side he would be seated. Rahul Gandhi carries no data about anything. He has no knowledge about most of the processes going on in this country. But as far as spreading ‘galata’ (mess) is concerned, he is number one. Should debates between leaders happen on the streets, or on the floor of the highest temple of democracy, that is Parliament? Should squabbling take place on the streets, or should it happen in the Parliament?” Patra said.
He added, “Rahul Gandhi does not have the patience to sit in the Parliament for more than 5-6 minutes. A person who cannot sit in the Parliament for 5-6 minutes at a stretch will not want to have a debate in the Parliament. He would prefer a street brawl to a Parliament…”
Patra also criticized the INDIA bloc’s rally held at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on November 1, questioning the reported turnout and challenging Rahul Gandhi to debate with his alliance partners. “Recently, all the members of the so-called ‘INDI alliance’ gathered at Ramlila Maidan. They claimed that 10 lakh would assemble there, but in reality, there were no more than 20,000 people. That is the combined strength of the entire ‘INDI alliance.’ My suggestion to Rahul Gandhi is this: if you wish to debate, you should debate with your ‘so-called’ alliance partner. You claim that Arvind Kejriwal is your friend and that he is part of the ‘INDI alliance.’ Yet, just yesterday, you were the one asserting that if there is any govt that is the most corrupt, it is Arvind Kejriwal’s govt in Punjab. Here in Delhi, you act as if you are brothers, but in Punjab, you label his govt the most corrupt. So, what is the truth? Are you together, or are you separate? This is something which should be debated,” he said.
The INDIA bloc organized the rally on November 1 at Ramlila Maidan as part of its campaign against alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).