In a dramatic assertion that has captured India's political attention, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has claimed that his phone is being tapped by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During an Instagram 'Ask Me' session, Gandhi made the extraordinary claim that all evidence regarding his allegations against the government is stored on his phone, which he alleges is under surveillance by the Prime Minister's office.
"All evidence of my allegations is in my phone, which the Prime Minister is tapping," Gandhi stated in a video shared by the Indian Youth Congress. "The one-on-one debate will prove Narendra Modi is controlled by foreign powers and is anti-national."
Gandhi went further, issuing a direct challenge to Prime Minister Modi for a one-on-one public debate without teleprompters or scripts. "I guarantee that after a face-to-face debate with me, the Prime Minister will not remain in his position," Gandhi asserted, suggesting that figures like industrialist Gautam Adani or RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat could serve as judges for the proposed debate.
The phone tapping allegations add another layer to the already contentious relationship between the ruling party and the opposition.
The Congress leader expressed frustration with his current limitations in parliamentary proceedings, noting that he is often not allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha and that his microphone is frequently muted. "I want a direct exchange, not long speeches," Gandhi explained, framing the debate as an opportunity for unfiltered political discourse.
This isn't the first time Gandhi has raised concerns about phone tapping. During the Pegasus controversy in July 2021, the opposition leader claimed that Intelligence Bureau officials had informed him about surveillance on his phone. The latest allegations represent an escalation of his public confrontation with the Modi government.
"The evidence is right here, in this phone," Gandhi emphasized in his recent statements. "The Prime Minister knows this because they tap my phone. The moment they come for a face-to-face debate, everyone will find out who is working at the behest of foreign powers, who is anti-national, since when they have been anti-national, and many other things that I know and are present in my phone."
The BJP leadership has dismissed Gandhi's challenge, with Finance Minister Nirmala Sithaman accusing the Congress leader of avoiding parliamentary debate and failing to demonstrate the responsibility expected of a Leader of Opposition.
Gandhi's claims come at a time of heightened political tension in India, with the opposition increasingly vocal about what they describe as authoritarian tendencies in the current administration. The phone tapping allegations add another layer to the already contentious relationship between the ruling party and the opposition.
#WATCH | Delhi: On Rahul Gandhi’s phone-tapping allegations, Union Minister B.L. Verma says, "We call it a serious allegation when there is evidence to support it... Rahul Gandhi has made many allegations, but there is no substance to them... I want to tell Rahul Gandhi that unless you have evidence or proof of something, you have no right to make any allegations..."
The political significance of Gandhi's challenge cannot be overstated. By directly challenging the Prime Minister to a debate and claiming to hold evidence on his tapped phone, Gandhi is positioning himself as a direct alternative to Modi's leadership. The assertion that Modi would not remain Prime Minister following such a debate represents perhaps the most direct challenge to the Prime Minister's authority since his election.
As India's political landscape continues to evolve, the question of whether Modi will accept Gandhi's debate challenge remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that the exchange has further intensified the already polarized political climate in the world's largest democracy.