Rahul Gandhi dares PM Modi to debate who is ‘anti-national’

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. File | Photo credit: PTI

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel to be vigilant about “dimagi (intellectual) Naxals,” Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday (November 9, 2026) allowed the Prime Minister to debate who is anti-national.

Also read | ‘Dimagi Naxals’ inciting people against constitution: PM Modi as Maoists eliminated

In a post on social media platform X addressed to the CRPF personnel, Mr. Gandhi said their expressions showed that they were not convinced by the Prime Minister’s remarks. “Your faces said it all: you didn’t buy the Prime Minister’s lies,” he said.

Accusing Mr Modi of calling his political opponents “naxals”, Mr Gandhi repeated his call to discuss with him “who is anti-national and who is controlled by foreign forces”.

“He called us Naxals. My challenge stands. Let him debate with me on who is anti-national and who is controlled by foreign forces. Anytime, anywhere. My guarantee: after the debate, the PM will not have the guts to stand in front of a single jawan again,” the Congress leader said.

Speaking to security personnel at a CRPF camp in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, on Sunday (November 8, 2026), during his Deepavali visit, Mr. Modi said that while armed Maoists had been eliminated, “Naxal goons” had infiltrated political parties and organizations and incited people against the constitution and democracy. He called for the identification and defeat of such elements.

The prime minister also used the term in his Independence Day speech in August, when he argued that ideological supporters of Naxalism continued to pose a challenge despite success in eliminating the armed insurgency.

Also read | PM would call Bhagat Singh, Ambedkar ‘dimagi Naxals’: Kejriwal

The Congress accused Mr Modi of being “disturbed, agitated and desperate”, adding that his “time to pick up the jhola (bag)” was approaching.

“The Prime Minister did not spare the country his usual insulting speech even on Diwali. He once again called some of his political opponents ‘intellectual Naxals’. The most questionable thing is that he used an extremely festive and non-political occasion to do this, donning the uniform of the security forces and hurling a barrage of mud at all his outspoken norms and political opponents. Gentlemen ever care about principles and ideals? Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh said on Sunday in post on X.

Mr Gandhi has repeatedly challenged Mr Modi for an open debate, claiming he could prove the Prime Minister a “traitor” within five minutes. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders rejected the call and accused the Congress leader of avoiding debates in Parliament.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Parliament was already an available forum for debate and asked Mr Gandhi to show “some seriousness and responsibility” in his role as leader of the opposition.

Published – 9 Nov 2026 16:49 IST