SANGRUR: The political face-off between the BJP and the Congress over alleged foreign links intensified as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday renewed his challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to prove that Opposition parties were "anti-national".
Inviting Modi to an open debate for the second time in as many days, Gandhi said, "Come anywhere, sit with me and debate."
He also questioned Union Home Minister Amit Shah's announcement that drugs would be eradicated within three years, asking, "What deadline has he given? Three years? In three years, Amit Shah may not even be the Home Minister. I don't know what he is talking about. My assessment is that the government itself will fall within a year."
The rally in Sangrur officially marked the launch of the Congress party's campaign for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
Addressing the 'Insaaf rally', Gandhi renewed his challenge to Prime Minister Modi, saying the latter could choose anyone to moderate a debate between them.
"Yesterday, I challenged Narendra Modi to a face-to-face debate. He can make anyone he wants the judge for this debate. I guarantee the nation that Modi cannot sit before me. I can guarantee that within five minutes of the debate starting, I will prove that Modi is a 'desh-drohi' and Donald Trump controls him," he said.
He said Modi's repeated calls for a parliamentary discussion were meaningless as the Opposition was not being allowed to speak in Parliament and his microphone was switched off when he tried to speak.
Gandhi accused Prime Minister Modi of working under the influence of US President Donald Trump and catering to the interests of billionaires. He criticised a five-minute deal signed with the US, claiming it had compromised the future of Indian farmers and small businesses. He alleged that Trump had pressured Modi into signing the deal and claimed that the agreement was concluded following threats from the US President. Gandhi also linked the deal to the closure of a case involving industrialist Gautam Adani in the US, alleging that the developments were connected.
Gandhi also attacked the BJP, alleging that his microphone was switched off and he was not allowed to speak in Parliament.
The latest challenge by Gandhi came within a day of his earlier call for an open debate with the Prime Minister, who had accused the Opposition of taking foreign help to destabilise the country. Gandhi, in turn, had accused Modi on Monday of coming to power and occupying the Prime Minister's chair with "foreign help".
Gandhi also challenged Shah's announcement that drugs would be eradicated within three years, questioning the credibility of the timeline and the Union government's record in tackling drug trafficking.
"What deadline has he given? Three years? In three years, Amit Shah may not even be the Home Minister. I don't know what he is talking about. My assessment is that the government itself will fall within a year," he said.
Gandhi subsequently raised questions about the seizure of narcotics at Adani's port in Gujarat, asking the Union Home Minister what action had followed the recovery of large quantities of drugs.
"What happened to the drugs seized at Adani's port in Gujarat? What action did you take in that matter? What happened to the thousands of kilograms of drugs and heroin seized there?" he asked.
He further accused the Centre of failing to tackle organised crime and alleged that gangsters were receiving protection while lodged in prisons.
"You have, in fact, been sheltering gangsters inside prisons. The entire country knows that Amit Shah has been patronising his gangsters," he alleged.
Questioning the Centre's claims on law and order, Gandhi also referred to the situation in Manipur, asking Shah to explain the developments there instead of making promises about eliminating drugs.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said Gandhi faced more than 24 FIRs, while gangsters and criminals in Punjab were going scot-free. He accused the AAP of being the BJP's "B team", alleging that it made inroads wherever it saw the Congress gaining ground and cut into the Congress vote share, paving the way for BJP victories.
Kharge assured Gandhi that the Congress would win Punjab. He said the party needed to remain united to secure victory and accused the RSS and the BJP of trying to divide institutions and other bodies.
Congress Punjab in-charge Sachin Pilot, state Congress chief Pargat Singh, and senior state leaders Partap Bajwa, Vijay Inder Singla, Charanjit Singh Channi, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring were present at the rally.