- 20 minutes ago
A debate erupted over Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's open challenge calling for a public, presidential-style debate with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Congress spokesperson Rahul Singh Kalija defended the demand, citing Article 75 of the Constitution and arguing that executive accountability extends outside Parliament, stating, 'The Prime Minister cannot shoot and scoot every time.' BJP national spokesperson Sanju Verma rejected the proposition, questioning Rahul Gandhi's legislative attendance record and demanding that discussions strictly occur inside Parliament. Political analyst Rajat Sethi described the confrontation as juvenile political posturing, urging opposition leadership to focus on institutional processes rather than American-style public face-offs. Meanwhile, political analyst Ashutosh argued that open debate strengthens democratic engagement and warned against dismissing opposition challenges. The panel engaged in a fierce exchange examining whether national discourse should centre on floor sessions or direct leader-to-leader debates.
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00:00Is Rahul Gandhi, leader of opposition, warranted to call for a debate should he not take the
00:04root of what is the parliament?
00:06Let's take all these questions to our panelists this evening.
00:10Joining me, Rahul Singh Khalidja, spokesperson, Congress, Rajat Sethi, political analyst, Ashutosh,
00:16political analyst, Sanju Verma, national spokesperson, Bharatiya Janata Party.
00:20I'd like to begin with Rahul first.
00:22Rahul, we are not America to challenge the prime minister for what is a presidential
00:29style debate.
00:30That too on social media, too many, is kind of bizarre.
00:34Some would suggest parliament is your way forward.
00:37The government, the BJP has given you an option.
00:40They'll call for a special session, debate the SIR on the floor of the House.
00:44Vicky, even America did not have a presidential debate until 1960.
00:49The UK did not have a prime ministerial debate until the 2010.
00:53But having said that, we need not to borrow our democracy or democratic principles from
00:57the US or the UK.
01:00The Article 75 of our very own constitution says that the prime minister is not the just
01:06head of the House, the head of the parliament.
01:09He's also the head of the government.
01:10And the government is everywhere.
01:12It's outside the parliament as well.
01:14And the debate that the leader of opposition is proposing is not based only around SIR.
01:19It is about everything, all the policies, all the politics that the prime minister is doing,
01:25all the allegations that he's been leveling on the LOP and the political parties across
01:30the country.
01:31If the prime minister can go to Gujarat and say that there is foreign funding involved in
01:36the recent protests, then why not come out and debate the same issue?
01:40And it's the same prime minister.
01:43But Rahul, allow me to interject.
01:44Rahul Gandhi has also said, choose any stage, any venue, any debate, you know, and debate
01:50me on this.
01:51The government's given you an option, come to the parliament, they'll call a special session.
01:55Absolutely.
01:55But the parliament is run by certain rules and principles, right?
01:59The rules of procedure of the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha does not allow such a debate.
02:04Right?
02:04You cannot have a one-on-one parliamentary-style debate in the parliament, right?
02:08The rules of procedure do not allow for that.
02:11The parliament is supposed to do policy framework, right?
02:15It is not supposed to do political debate.
02:18And if the prime minister could, in 2013, in 2012, when he was chief minister of Gujarat,
02:24on the independence day, he called for a debate with Manmohan Singh ji.
02:27In 2014, LK Aduwani called for a prime ministerial debate.
02:31Then why is the same BJP today stepping back from the same challenge?
02:34Debate it.
02:35But Rahul Singh, by that virtue, did you comply?
02:38Did you oblige?
02:41They did not.
02:41They never followed up on it.
02:43Exactly.
02:44The BJP never followed up on it.
02:45But the fact is that you did not oblige or you did not comply.
02:48I'll come back to you, sir.
02:49Stay with me.
02:50I'll come back to you.
02:51I want to cut across to Sanju Verma.
02:53Sanju Verma, the question is, you're the government, ma'am.
02:56You're the one who's supposed to call the parliament.
02:58You want to debate, call a special session.
03:00Who's stopping you?
03:03You know, Preeti, first and foremost, let's get one thing very clear.
03:07I'm tired of this, you know, gun to the BJP's head every time.
03:10BJP wins a state election, BJP's asked questions.
03:13BJP loses a state election, BJP's asked questions.
03:17BJP gets 240, BJP's asked questions.
03:19Rahul Gandhi loses three elections in a row, but he's resurrected again and again
03:23as if he's the next best thing after brown bread and spaghetti.
03:26So, let me come to the moot point.
03:29The moot point is this.
03:30Rahul Gandhi, the forum of debate, is the parliament.
03:34And look at Rahul Gandhi's history, Preeti, very quickly.
03:37You know, this is something that your audience needs to hear.
03:39We are not talking of just poor attendance.
03:41We are talking of Rahul Gandhi's attendance in the monsoon session of 2020, zero.
03:47Winter session of 2022, Rahul Gandhi's attendance, zero.
03:50Budget session of 2023, zero.
03:53Winter session of 2024, Rahul Gandhi's attendance, zero.
03:56And monsoon session of 2025, Rahul Gandhi's attendance, zero.
04:01Rahul Gandhi does not take parliamentary procedures seriously.
04:04This is the same Rahul Gandhi who wanted a debate on Rafale.
04:07When the Modi government agreed, Rahul Gandhi went MIA.
04:11Rahul Gandhi wanted a debate on Pegasus.
04:13When the Modi government agreed, Rahul Gandhi went MIA.
04:17Rahul Gandhi wanted a debate on Manipur.
04:19And Gaurav Gogai actually proposed a no-confidence motion in August 2023 against the Modi government.
04:25And when Prime Minister Modi started speaking, Rahul Gandhi was MIA.
04:29Rahul Gandhi wanted a debate on inflation and unemployment.
04:32When Nirmala Sita Raman started speaking last time, Rahul Gandhi was MIA.
04:36So, what am I trying to convey?
04:38I'm trying to convey that Rahul Gandhi is a non-senious politician.
04:43All right, ma'am, allow me to interject.
04:45No, no, allow me to interject.
04:47Well, that's what even Rahul Gandhi says.
04:49That when they wanted to debate SIR, the Home Minister was MIA.
04:53It's the same charge coming in from the Congress as well.
04:56The charges that you are levelling are the same charges that are coming in from the Congress as well.
05:00The second thing, once again, because you had multiple leaders, even the Parliamentary Affairs Minister,
05:05Kiran Rajiju, suggesting and daring Rahul Gandhi to come to Parliament and a special session will be called.
05:11Call the special session, ma'am.
05:12Who's stopping you?
05:15Preeti, when we will call the special session of Parliament,
05:18whether we will call the special session of Parliament or not,
05:21whether it will happen in 10 days from now or 10 months from now,
05:25with no offence to a very smart anchor,
05:28that is not something Preeti Chaudhary will decide,
05:31the Congress will decide, Sanju Barma will decide or Rajak or Ashutosh will decide.
05:35But Sanju Barma, that's the option that the government is giving.
05:37Now, come on.
05:38No, I'm not getting into whether I'm a smart anchor or not.
05:41I'm just going by what the government is saying.
05:43They're saying, come for a special session.
05:45Call the special session then, ma'am.
05:47Who's stopping you?
05:50Preeti, I don't understand.
05:51I can understand if you get all, you know, up in arms against me
05:55if I say something which is untoward.
05:58Aakko compliment do, tabbhi aakko gussa aata hai.
06:01Thoda shant ho jayye, madam.
06:02Now, let me come to the moot point.
06:03Ma'am, I'm too bough chantu.
06:04I just want to say, I'm saying Preeti very clearly.
06:07Aray, Preeti, wait, nah.
06:09Let me come to the moot point of the debate.
06:11The moot point of the debate, Preeti, is this.
06:14Rahul Gandhi does not want a discussion.
06:16And if, I don't think you, me, Ashutosh, even Rahul Gandhi's most optimistic supporters
06:22will agree, Rahul Gandhi is desperate.
06:26He is desperate.
06:28D-E-S-P-E-R-A-T-E.
06:30Desperate to come to par at any cost.
06:33All right.
06:33Okay, fair point.
06:33You have every right to make political allegations and rhetoric.
06:39It's your call, ma'am.
06:40But I have every right to ask questions and also to correct you.
06:42Because if you go by parliamentary attendance, and I'll give it 15th Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi,
06:4643% attendance from your records.
06:49It's 16th Lok Sabha, 52%, 17th Lok Sabha, 51%.
06:53Not 0%.
06:53That's all I'm saying.
06:54I'll just come back, circle back to you.
06:56Preeti, you cannot get away by saying this.
06:59I am not talking of 15th Lok Sabha, 16th Lok Sabha.
07:03You are confusing.
07:04I named sessions.
07:05Monsoon session, winter session.
07:07A session is not equal to the entire Lok Sabha.
07:09Okay, we'll try and get you those figures as well.
07:11But that's not the point.
07:13Let's not.
07:13Okay, let's.
07:13Please do not confuse the issue.
07:14Let's not miss the woods for the trees.
07:16Let's continue this conversation.
07:17I want to begin.
07:18You are the one who's confused.
07:19Madam, I've given you enough time to speak.
07:21Ma'am, one second.
07:24No, I'm not confused.
07:25I'm not confused, right?
07:26Yes, you are.
07:26Let's leave it at that.
07:27Ashutosh, I want to bring you in.
07:29It's not about you and I, Sanjay.
07:30What have you eaten?
07:31It's Diwali.
07:31Calm down.
07:32I want to bring in Ashutosh.
07:35Can I get the faders down, please?
07:36You are not Rahul Gandhi's spokesperson.
07:37Ma'am, can I just?
07:38You are not Rahul Gandhi's spokesperson.
07:39Ma'am, can I just?
07:41No, no, no.
07:42Madam, I'm neither Rahul Gandhi's spokesperson.
07:44I am neither your government's spokesperson.
07:46So allow me to do your job.
07:48Do my job.
07:49Right?
07:49Allow me to do it.
07:51Ashutosh, I want to bring you in.
07:52The call for a special session where the BJP is concerned that why don't we have a special session?
08:00The debate can happen on the floor of the House.
08:02That aside, on what Rahul Gandhi has demanded, do you think it's optics posturing?
08:09See, Priti, you know why the BJP spokesperson is so upset?
08:13Because she knows that the Rahul Gandhi's, that the Prime Minister cannot have a debate with the leader of opposition.
08:21And she knows it very well.
08:23And I'm also really, sometimes I really get worried that why the BJP spokesperson can't have a debate without taking
08:31my name?
08:32Like, so many times, they love me so much.
08:35I really, I'm really amused.
08:37I really amused the way the BJP spokesperson love me and so much affection.
08:42I'm overwhelmed with my emotions.
08:45See, the fact of the matter is that Rahul Gandhi knows that the Prime Minister will not accept any kind
08:50of one-on-one debate.
08:51He knows it.
08:53But why he's doing it?
08:54Because it's openly challenging to prove a point that BJP and the government can label an acquisition against him, call
09:05him an anti-national.
09:08When you call the bluff, then the no-BJP spokesperson or the no-BJP leader will come on the stage
09:15to have one-on-one debate.
09:17Because it's a bluff.
09:19It's a bluff of a very high magnitude.
09:21Allow me a counter.
09:23I'm going to make you, just allow me a counter.
09:25We don't have the timer today, so just allow me a counter.
09:27It's a different kind of a debate.
09:29I regret it, but let's just, allow me a counter, sir.
09:32The fact is, why should the Prime Minister accept?
09:35This is not how our democracy has functioned in the past.
09:38It's not at the behest of the LOP that he's decided that he wants a one-on-one with the
09:43Prime Minister, a public debate.
09:45Therefore, the Prime Minister should have that public debate.
09:47Why should he accept it?
09:48See, Preeti, BJP is committing the same mistake.
09:53Mr. Modi is committing the same mistake what Mrs. Gandhi committed.
09:57When Mrs. Gandhi called JP a CIA agent, you know what happened in 1977?
10:03That today, the call of the day is that the government should improve its functioning.
10:08Government should take some radical steps to course correct.
10:12Instead of doing a course correction, they are proving their own weaknesses.
10:18That the Prime Minister of the country does not know.
10:21I'm really amazed.
10:23The Prime Minister of the country does not know to whom leader of opposition is meeting, where he is going,
10:29and insinuating that he's conspiring against the country.
10:32Then what the IB is doing?
10:34What Roy is doing?
10:35Shut those agencies.
10:37You have a point in all of that, Ashutosh.
10:39But the fact is, the question still remains.
10:40Why should the Prime Minister of this country accept a public-style debate?
10:45Because there is a dare coming in from the leader of opposition.
10:48I'm saying, why not?
10:50Okay.
10:51It will be such good spectacle for democracy.
10:54The leader of opposition and the Prime Minister are debating one-on-one.
10:56Rajat Sethi, it will be a great spectacle for democracy.
10:58We've seen the kind of political season we are in.
11:01And what's so wrong in asking for a debate from the Prime Minister?
11:04And if the government really wants, you know, the Parliament's not prerogated yet,
11:09they can call for a special session.
11:10See, nobody, at least in this studio, has the wherewithal, politically speaking,
11:14to come out and advise the Prime Minister of what he should do and what he shouldn't do.
11:18We are literally nobody.
11:20We haven't won elections.
11:21And Ashutosh has contested.
11:23And he knows that it's far, far more difficult to stay in office for 25 years unabated.
11:29Therefore, Prime Minister knows his game.
11:31Now, see, Rahul Gandhi is well within his right to actually come out with an authoritative
11:36political statement the way he did, that, come on, debate me.
11:39I have all the answers and I will question you and put you in the dock.
11:43Good.
11:43But, you know, till that point, everything is fine as a political statement.
11:47But this childish, juvenile behavior that he gets into each time, 24 hours, you have a rose in your hand
11:53and then you go out and tweet, all of these very, very childish things is further, you know,
11:58brings down his own authority.
12:00You know, this entire, because you are not the leader of the country, you are the leader
12:05of the opposition.
12:06You are well within your right to question the government and keep on doing that.
12:09We all expect him to do that.
12:10But don't go on to that slippery slope of having this childish obsession that, you know,
12:16you want that lollipop.
12:17Allow me a rebuttal.
12:19No, but without that political lollipop, you will carry on crying like a baby.
12:23But, Raja, the fact is, the political language...
12:25This is not how politics is to be done in the country.
12:27Right?
12:28Which other president is there in the country till date?
12:30Fair point.
12:31Fair point.
12:32But, Raja, the political language across the world, including India, has changed in the last year.
12:36And we've seen it.
12:37You know, we've had the front row seats to that as well.
12:39Look what's happening in America.
12:40I'm not drawing parallels at all.
12:42But the sheer fact that the democratic win has been engineered by a population that hasn't
12:47voted till now, primarily younger, gives credence to the fact that there is space for a new
12:52kind of politics.
12:54Oh, my God, PTG, please, for God's sake, you know, since morning, I have been hearing these
12:59parallels being drawn.
13:01It is so...
13:01No, but I'm not drawing a parallel, Raja.
13:03No, I'm just saying, even the mention, even the mention of this debate, I mean, on one side
13:08you have a person like Trump who was obsessed with asses throughout the campaign of the
13:12midterm.
13:12Forget about...
13:13Okay, Rajat.
13:14Rajat, let's not...
13:15Okay, you don't want to go to America.
13:16You don't go to America.
13:17I'm talking about just India.
13:18Don't make a difference, Rajat.
13:19Let's look at India.
13:20No, no, no.
13:20One second.
13:21One second.
13:21No, no, no, no.
13:21No, no, no, no, Rajatosh, allow him.
13:22Okay, one second.
13:23Rajatosh, allow him.
13:23Allow him his time.
13:24All of you will get time.
13:26Madam, please await your turn.
13:29But, Rajat, I want to come back to you.
13:31You want to leave...
13:32Can I just get the fader down?
13:34Madam, you cannot come in because you have to come in on your turn.
13:36Can I just get the faders down?
13:38Rajat, you don't want to speak about America.
13:40Leave America aside.
13:41But the fact is, we've had the front row seats where we ourselves have seen a different
13:45kind of politics that has emerged.
13:47We can be in denial of that or belittle that.
13:49That's up to us.
13:50But the sheer fact, to embrace it, would you think it could be a good idea, politically
13:54astute?
13:54My point is that embracement or otherwise, that is for a leader who has been in power for
14:00this long.
14:01He understands the signal.
14:02He has those mechanisms to engage with the masses.
14:05What does he have to do engaging with Mr. Rahul Gandhi, who has had a record of 100 electoral
14:10defeats in a political career?
14:12So why?
14:13What moral or political authority does Rahul Gandhi come in?
14:17What kind of an internal party debate?
14:18No, but no, no.
14:19What internal party debate has he conducted in order to become an LOP?
14:23What struggle has he done other than adopting a name or surname of Gandhi?
14:27If you remove that surname of Gandhi from Rahul, that question still remains.
14:31What is that competitive exercise through which he has been able to earn the moral capital
14:36or the political capital to go out and question the prime minister?
14:39Do it in your capacity as a political leader, by all means do that, but do not get into this
14:44childish behavior.
14:44But Rajat, I'll circle back to you because there is pretty much…
14:48But it's pretty much in 2024, about a percentage less, I would think, was the vote percentage
14:54that went to the Congress-led alliance.
14:58So it's not that that people haven't given him, you know, the political heft.
15:03He is the leader of opposition.
15:04We can celebrate, let us dedicate a day to celebrate his 99 seats.
15:07No.
15:08No, no, no.
15:08Rajat, we can…
15:09In calendar year, let's find one day where we will celebrate Rahul Gandhi.
15:12Let's do that.
15:13No, Rajat, the fact is not that.
15:15No, I'm happy to join.
15:15Let's all…
15:15You're minimizing the debate.
15:17I am talking about somebody who is the leader of opposition.
15:20You can debate on his antecedent of being a Gandhi or a Janus.
15:23My point is, I agree with him.
15:24That's separate.
15:25But, Preeti Ji, I agree.
15:26He made a good authoritative point.
15:29It's good, but then move on.
15:31Nobody is…
15:31Don't linger on to it the way he's been trying to do that.
15:34All right.
15:35That's my limited point.
15:36All right.
15:37I want to take final comments.
15:38Let me go across the board again, and I will cut across first to the Congress spokesperson,
15:42Rahul Singh.
15:43And Rahul, you have every right to once again accuse me of being a BJP spokesperson like Ms.
15:48Verma did, but I'll come back to you and I will ask you the question again.
15:51You yourself have given examples where in the past,
15:55the BJP and the leader of opposition has challenged your very prime ministers,
15:59our prime ministers then, who came from your party, and they denied it.
16:03This is not how our parliamentary democracy functions, at least.
16:07No, Preeti, the constitution itself allows the opposition to question the government
16:13and its government's responsibility.
16:14Article 75, subclause 3 says that the government owes accountability to the entire nation,
16:20which allows the leader of opposition to call for a debate.
16:23And also, half of what the prime minister says cannot be said in the parliament.
16:26Can Jersey guy be said in the parliament?
16:29Can Pachaska Road key girlfriend be said in the parliament?
16:32All of these things need to be settled outside.
16:34All of the issue of the foreign funding and foreign forces involvement should be settled
16:38outside the parliament, because these arguments were made outside the parliament.
16:43These insinuations were made outside the parliament.
16:45And the prime minister owes the country an explanation and the leader of opposition an explanation
16:49for all of the comments that he has made.
16:51The prime minister cannot shoot and scoot every time.
16:54This is the time and prove kardijiye na.
16:57You are world's best orator.
16:58You are a mahamana.
16:59You are non-biological.
17:00Nobody can defeat you.
17:01Come out and prove it now.
17:04Okay, final comments, Sanju Verma.
17:07Yeah.
17:08And Preeti, before I give my comments, I come as the BJP's national spokesperson on your show
17:12because you want a BJP representative.
17:14I simply very politely asked you, can I come in?
17:17Because today there was no timer.
17:18Wait for your turn.
17:19Please stop being rude, Preeti.
17:21I think you are very rude on the air.
17:22Madam, it's a little rich coming from you if you are going to be sitting in my studio.
17:26Madam, if you are going to be sitting in my studio and turning around and making allegations
17:31on whether I'm a...
17:32Whether...
17:33If you are going to be making allegations on my professional capacity, it's a little rich
17:38coming in from you.
17:40You are eating into your own time.
17:42You are eating into your own time.
17:43Make your point.
17:44I asked you, can I be talking very politely?
17:45Madam, very politely I said no.
17:47I said no the first time around.
17:50But I don't think you got it.
17:51You are very rude.
17:51Madam, you know, make your point.
17:54Let me speak now.
17:56Make your point, madam.
17:57Make your point.
17:58I don't need extra civility.
17:59Madam, neither do I.
18:00You want to get into this?
18:03Let me finish now what I'm saying.
18:05My limited point is this.
18:0750 crore ki girlfriend, jersey guy, blah, blah, blah.
18:10This is what the Congress spokesperson said.
18:13I want to tell the Congress spokesperson just a few months back.
18:17What did Rahul Gandhi say?
18:21That is the level of Rahul Gandhi's public discourse.
18:29Rahul Gandhi is at a stage where there's a huge audience along with Sandeep Dixit.
18:35When Sandeep Dixit takes a pot shot at the Italian prime minister, Rahul Gandhi laughs, sneers, cheers, cheers.
18:43He does not stop Sandeep Dixit.
18:45But my final point is this, Preeti.
18:46Rahul Gandhi wants to debate with the prime minister.
18:50The same Rahul Gandhi who says, today morning I woke up at night.
18:53The same Rahul Gandhi who says, the only way to empower Dalits is through the escape velocity in Jupiter.
19:00The same Rahul Gandhi who says, here you go, there you go.
19:04Fair point.
19:05Okay, you made your point.
19:07Can I please get in?
19:09Achutosh, final comments running out of time.
19:10Make your point, sir.
19:11Final comments.
19:14See, Preeti, let me again reiterate.
19:16I'm really disappointed by the narrative of the BJP.
19:20They are trying to repeat the same thing.
19:22Same, same is singing.
19:25Same, same, same music.
19:27It's not going to work.
19:28The BJP spokesperson and the BJP has to come out with something new.
19:32Some new narrative.
19:34Some new steps.
19:35This, what Rahul Gandhi has said in the past.
19:37What he said, what he's saying now.
19:39So, this accusation, this abusing of Rahul Gandhi will not work come what may.
19:44This is not the Rahul Gandhi of 2014.
19:46This is the Rahul Gandhi of 2026.
19:48This is not the Rahul Gandhi people used to call him Pappu.
19:50This is the Rahul Gandhi.
19:51He's emerged as a rebel, as a serious challenger to Prime Minister Modi.
19:55And if BJP has to deal with him, BJP has to dig out something new, something great.
20:02This old-fashioned, this old tape will not work.
20:06I'm very convinced about it.
20:08And if they continue with this, 1977, they should remember.
20:15All right.
20:15Rajat Sethi, final comment, sir.
20:19Again, I'll stick to the subject.
20:21The subject here is whether Rahul Gandhi is right in his assertion and demand for a debate.
20:26My point is that if you want to usher in a new era wherein Indian politics have to be centered
20:32around debates, you can call it American style or whatever style, try doing that within your organization.
20:37Set up an example.
20:39Let the youth of this country try and see that you are actually genuinely interested in walking the talk.
20:44And if you set up a good example, if some good churning comes out of it, I believe this model
20:50should be emulated at a national level as well.
20:52But beyond this kind of a childish behavior, that you have a rose in your hand, that Modi ji, please
20:58debate.
20:59This is immaturity of the highest order.
21:02You've made your point.
21:03Now move on.
21:04Get to more serious business.
21:06All right.
21:07Okay.
21:07I thank all four of you for joining me.
21:08Thank you for taking the time out.
21:10And a very happy Diwali to all four of you if we don't see each other till Diwali.