Accept challenge for debate in Parliament instead of streets JD U to Rahul Gandhi

    New Delhi, Nov 4 (PTI) The Janata Dal (United) on Wednesday criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to an open debate on any forum, saying he should accept Union Home Minister Amit Shah's proposal for a special session of Parliament instead of taking the debate to the streets.

     The remarks came a day after Gandhi challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to an open debate on his charge that the "opposition is anti-national" and asked why the prime minister has not filed a defamation case against him over his allegation of "foreign connections".

     JD(U) spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad told PTI there should be a debate in a democracy and the Parliament is the appropriate forum for such a discussion.

     He noted that Gandhi should accept Shah's challenge for a debate in Parliament and use the opportunity to raise his questions in the Lok Sabha instead of taking his arguments to the streets.

     "There should certainly be a debate in a democracy, and the appropriate forum for such a debate is the Indian Parliament, the temple of democracy.

     "If Union Home Minister Amit Shah has challenged Rahul Gandhi to a debate in Parliament, and Rahul Gandhi also wants a discussion, why does he not make use of this opportunity?" Prasad said.

     He urged Gandhi to seek a special Parliament session and raise all his questions on the Lok Sabha floor.

     "Instead of taking his arguments to the streets, he should seek a special session of the Lok Sabha, put forward his views and raise whatever questions he has. He should also answer the questions put to him," the JD(U) spokesperson said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)