Rahul Invites PM To Debate, Says Modi’s Hatred For Him ‘Personal’

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a “personal hatred” towards him. “It is a country that is filled with love. He’s filled with personal hatred. At public functions I meet with him with love. Even then he doesn’t reply. I talk to him respectfully. He doesn’t talk even then,” Rahul told NDTV‘s Ravish while campaigning in Madhya Pradesh.

The Congress chief said Prime Minister Modi had shown him how not to run the country. “If you govern the country without listening to anybody then the country cannot function properly,” he said, challenging him to debate him on issues such as corruption, notes ban, Goods and Services Tax and farmer crisis.

Rahul said there was an ideological fight between the BJP-RSS and progressive forces in the country. “We are fighting against the ideology that is a threat to the Constitution. PM Modi is ignoring the intelligence of the RBI and announcing demonetisation…”

On the recent attacks by Prime Minister Modi on his late father and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, Rahul said, “Narendra Modi talks about Rajivji, about Nehruji, about Indiraji. I know the truth. I know my grandmother’s truth. I know it’s all lies that he is spreading. What difference does it make? It is okay if you say ‘Naamdar’. It will be clear on May 23.”

He went on to say that nobody is saying Narendra Modi will win now. “Five years ago, some people said no one can defeat Narendra Modi. But we didn’t back down,” Rahul told with NDTV’s Ravish Kumar while campaigning in Madhya Pradesh. “We fought in Parliament, we fought on the ground. Now he’s feeling scared. No one is today saying Narendra Modi will win.”

He said wherever he went people were telling him they were scared. A force was trying to control India.

He said the Prime Minister thinks his job is to only give speeches and make comments. “But the PM’s job is to think with strategy. He has no strategy in his work,” Rahul told NDTV. He cited the case of Jammu and Kashmir. “For nine years I and Manmohan Singhji worked hard; we strengthened panchayati raj, we empowered women. All that has been wasted. Manmohan Singh improved the country’s economy carefully, strategically. Narendra Modi has contributed to the country by showing us how not to run the country.”

Though BSP chief Mayawati and SP’s Akhilesh Yadav have left the Congress out of the alliance in Uttar Pradesh, Rahul said Mayawati was a national symbol and that he respects her. “She has sent a message to the country. I respect her, I love her. For political fight, the Congress party will have to fight for ideology,” Rahul said.