'PM Modi won't debate with me as he can't answer questions on Adani-Ambani links': Rahul Gandhi (WATCH)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed on Saturday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is avoiding a debate with him due to his inability to address questions regarding his alleged connections with certain favoured businessmen and the purported misuse of electoral bonds.

Speaking at a public meeting organized by the Congress in Delhi, Gandhi urged members of his party and the Aam Aadmi Party to collaborate and secure victory for their alliance in all seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital.

"It's interesting that I'll vote for AAP and Arvind Kejriwal will vote for Congress in these elections," he said.

Gandhi emphasized that the primary objective for all should be to safeguard the Constitution from those 'hell-bent on destroying it'.

Attacking the prime minister, the Congress leader said, "PM Modi is giving non-stop interviews to his favourite journalists but he will not have a debate with me because he knows he cannot answer my questions."

"PM Modi talks about the Congress getting tempo-loads of money from Adani-Ambani, but he doesn't dare to get it probed," he added.

"I'm ready to debate with PM Modi whenever and wherever he wants, but I'm sure he won't come. The first question I would ask PM Modi is what is his relationship with Adani, next I want to ask him about electoral bonds," the former Congress chief said.

Gandhi mentioned that the debate could conclude after addressing these two questions, but he also expressed his intention to inquire why the Prime Minister urged the public to clang plates and illuminate mobile phones during the COVID-19 pandemic when people were enduring hardships.

"He won't join a debate with me but he speaks in his rallies only about issues I raise. When I said why he does not talk about Adani-Ambani, he talked about it immediately," he said.

Gandhi further criticized the media, alleging their close ties with "2-3 industrialists," pointing out their incessant coverage of Ambani weddings, Bollywood celebrities, or Narendra Modi. Despite this, he remarked that even the stringers and cameramen affiliated with these media outlets would still vote for Congress. Additionally, in his address, the senior Congress leader alluded to his interrogation by the Enforcement Directorate.

"They got me interrogated by ED for 55 hours till they got tired... They snatched my house, I told them I don't want your house as the entire country is my home," he said.

Speaking about the plans of the Congress and INDIA bloc in the event of forming the government, Gandhi stated, "We will throw the Agniveer scheme in the dustbin, simplify GST and help small businessmen rather than big industrialists."

He accused Prime Minister Modi of neglecting small businessmen while allocating Rs 16 lakh crore to industrialists such as Adani and Ambani.

"I urge Congress workers to vote for Congress candidates on three seats of Delhi and for AAP candidates on four seats. Similarly, I urge AAP workers to vote for their party leaders in four seats and for Congress candidates in three constituencies," he said.

In a seat-sharing arrangement between the constituents of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), the Congress has nominated candidates for three of the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, while the AAP is contesting the remaining four.