The political standoff over Rahul Gandhi's viral dare for a debate with Prime Minister Narendra Modi escalated on Tuesday, pitting Congress MP Manickam Tagore against Union Minister Kiren Rijiju in a fiery social media exchange. Tagore, reacting to Rijiju's defense of the Prime Minister, labeled the Parliamentary Affairs Minister's rhetoric as 'language of the gutter.'
The clash began when Rijiju took to X to counter the Leader of Opposition's challenge. He drew a stark line between the Opposition's stance and that of 'separatists' and 'Islamic fundamentalists,' arguing that pushing agendas of India's enemies while accusing others of foreign support is 'self-ridiculing.'
Tagore did not let the jab slide. In a blistering response, the Congress MP accused Rijiju of 'abusing' the LoP and stated that the comments were an insult to former Prime Ministers Indira and Rajiv Gandhi, whom he described as having 'bled for the nation.' Tagore added a pointed remark on Rijiju's tone, asserting that 'maturity is answering questions, not dodging them.'
The exchange drew a wider political response from the ruling party. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stepped in on Tuesday, directing Rahul Gandhi to take up the debate in Parliament, the appropriate constitutional venue, rather than issuing challenges on social media. She highlighted that Home Minister Amit Shah had already offered to hold a special session to discuss the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and EVMs. The next phase of this dispute will likely see the issue formally tabled in the Rajya Sabha or Lok Sabha, where the parliamentary privilege and procedural rules will govern the discussion.