Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of having his phone tapped, claiming that it contained evidence of alleged foreign influence and anti-national activities. He also renewed his challenge to Modi for a one-on-one public debate, asserting that the Prime Minister would not be able to remain in office after facing him.
In a series of video clips released by the Congress, Gandhi said a direct exchange would expose who was allegedly controlled by foreign powers and who was acting against the country's interests.
“I keep repeating it: the Prime Minister’s political career, mark my words, the Prime Minister’s political career will be over if he comes and debates me. He knows that and I know that. He keeps calling me anti-national. I want to show the nation exactly who’s anti-national. Exactly who’s controlled by whom and since when. And he knows the truth of that,” Gandhi said.
The Congress leader made the remarks during an interactive ‘Ask Me’ session on Instagram. Holding up his mobile phone, he claimed that it contained evidence to support his allegations and that Modi was aware of its contents because his phone was being tapped.
“The proof is here. It’s in this phone. The Prime Minister knows it because he taps my phone. The moment it comes for the debate, one-on-one debate, everybody will know who’s controlled by foreign powers, who’s an anti-national, since when he’s been an anti-national, and lots of other details that I know and are on my phone,” he said.
Gandhi did not present any verifiable technical evidence during the session to substantiate his phone-tapping allegation. There was no immediate response from the BJP to his latest remarks.
Gandhi wants direct exchange instead of parliamentary speeches
Explaining why he was seeking a public debate rather than a discussion in Parliament, Gandhi alleged that he had repeatedly been prevented from raising important issues in the Lok Sabha.
“You did not let me talk on the farm bills, vote chori, SIR, China, on (Gen) Naravane’s book, Epstein. I want a one-on-one debate. I don’t want a debate entailing long speeches,” he said.
He also clarified that he did not want a conventional debate in which both leaders delivered lengthy speeches. Instead, he wanted Modi to make allegations against him while he put forward his own accusations against the Prime Minister.
“I want Narendra Modi to make allegations against me and I want to make allegations against him,” Gandhi said.
In a separate interaction, Gandhi reportedly suggested that industrialist Gautam Adani or Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat could act as judges for the proposed debate.
The latest challenge is part of a series of demands Gandhi has made in recent weeks. On November 6, he had said he was willing to debate Modi on any platform, at any time and at any place. His Friday remarks marked the seventh time in 12 days that he had publicly challenged the Prime Minister to a debate.
BJP leaders ask Rahul Gandhi to use Parliament
Gandhi's latest comments come amid an escalating confrontation between the ruling BJP and the Opposition over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and allegations of vote theft.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has previously accused Gandhi of avoiding parliamentary debates, maintaining that the government was ready to discuss the SIR exercise in the House. Shah also said the Centre was willing to convene a special session of Parliament if the Congress made a formal request.
Addressing a BJP workers' rally on October 30, Shah had said, “Rahul holds a copy of the Constitution in his hand but respects neither the document nor the position he holds.”
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had also questioned Gandhi's insistence on a separate public debate, arguing that Parliament was already available as a platform for discussions and that the Leader of the Opposition should demonstrate seriousness and responsibility in the House.
The latest exchange follows remarks by Modi during an interaction with CRPF personnel in Bastar. The Prime Minister said the country had won its decades-long battle against Naxalism, but alleged that “dimagi Naxals” had infiltrated political parties and organisations.
Gandhi's challenge to Modi came after the BJP questioned the Opposition's motives behind its campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged vote theft and the SIR exercise.
Earlier allegations of foreign influence and phone surveillance
The Congress leader has previously accused Modi of becoming and remaining Prime Minister with what he described as “foreign help”. He has also alleged that India's financial system is “backed by foreign forces”.
His latest phone-tapping allegation is not the first time he has raised concerns about surveillance. In 2023, Gandhi had claimed that Pegasus spyware was present on his phone and those of several other politicians. He had also said intelligence officials had warned him to be careful about conversations on his phone because they were being recorded. The Centre had rejected the allegations.
Gandhi's latest remarks have once again brought the allegations of foreign influence, surveillance and the functioning of democratic institutions to the centre of the political confrontation between the Congress and the BJP.