"Look forward to debate with Rahul Gandhi, hope he won't run away": BJYM Vice President Abhinav Prakash
May 13, 2024
New Delhi [India], May 13 : Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha Vice President Abhinav Prakash, who was nominated by Tejasvi Surya to debate with Rahul Gandhi, said he looked forward to the debate and hoped that the Congress leader would not run away from it the way he ran away from Amethi.
"I would like to thank Tejasvi Surya for deputing me to debate with Rahul Gandhi. I am looking forward to this debate. I am from Uttar Pradesh, Rahul Gandhi and his family have represented the state for so long. I hope he doesn't run away from the debate the way he ran away from Amethi otherwise who knows he will have to run away from Raebareli as well, in the next elections," he told ANI.
Earlier while accepting the invitation for a public debate with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha President Tejasvi Surya nominated BJYM's Vice President Abhinav Prakash.
The announcement came one day after some retired justices wrote to former Congress Chief Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, inviting them to a platform for a debate on key Lok Sabha election issues.
It is pertinent to note that the invitation was extended to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by Retired Justice Madan B Lokur, Justice Ajit P Shah, and journalist N Ram for a debate on the key election issues.
Tejasvi Surya proposed the name of Abhinav Prakash, stating that he is from a Dalit caste, Pasi, which makes up a significant proportion of over 30 per cent of the scheduled caste population in Raebareli where Rahul Gandhi is contesting in the current Lok Sabha election.
Elaborating on the credentials of Abhinav Prakash, he wrote in a letter, "He is not only a distinguished leader within our youth wing but also an articulate spokesperson for the policies and reforms implemented by our government. An alumnus of Jawaharlal Nehru University and an assistant professor of economics at Delhi University's Ramjas College, with previous teaching stints at SRCC, his profound understanding of social, economic, and political dynamics is poised to enrich the debate significantly."
On May 10, Rahul Gandhi in a letter addressed to retired judges Madan B Lokur, Ajit P Shah, and journalist N Ram, Gandhi expressed readiness to participate in the debate either himself or through Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.
"It would be a positive initiative for the major parties to present their vision to the country from one platform for a healthy democracy. Congress welcomes this initiative and accepts the invitation for discussion. The country also expects the Prime Minister to take part in this dialogue," Rahul Gandhi said while accepting the invitation.
On Sunday, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh posted on X, "Day 1 of Rahul Gandhi's letter accepting an invitation to debate the Prime Minister. The 56-inch chest has not yet mustered the courage to accept the invitation."
