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India
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.