Hope Rahul Gandhi accepts Modi's 15 minutes speech challenge: Omar Abdullah
Srinagar, May 1 (IBNS): As Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday challenged Congress President Rahul Gandhi to speak for 15 minutes on the achievements of his government in the state without 'reading from any piece of paper', former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said he hopes that the Congress President to accept it.
Omar said he could then ask the PM to speak for '2 minutes' over the rape and murder of a 8-year-old girl in Kashmir.
He said he could ask the PM why the rape and murder of the minor was termed as a 'minor issue'.
Omar was referring to the new Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister, Kavinder Gupta's remark on the Kathua rape and murder incident where he called it as a "minor incident".
I hope @RahulGandhi takes up the Hon PM’s challenge & speaks w/out using notes for 15 min about the Karnataka Govt & then perhaps we can ask the Hon PM to speak for 2 min about why the rape & murder of an 8 year old girl is “a minor issue”.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 1, 2018
"I hope @RahulGandhi takes up the Hon PM’s challenge & speaks w/out using notes for 15 min about the Karnataka Govt & then perhaps we can ask the Hon PM to speak for 2 min about why the rape & murder of an 8 year old girl is “a minor issue," Omar tweeted.
Launching a strong campaign in poll-bound Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday challenged Congress supremo Rahul Gandhi to speak for 15 minutes on the achievements of his government in the state without 'reading from any piece of paper'.
Modi's challenge was in response to Gandhi's recent comment that the Prime Minister was afraid to stand up in the Parliament and face him.
"Modi is afraid to stand in Parliament," Gandhi said during a recent public rally in the state.
He said: "If I am allowed to speak for 15 minutes on the Rafale issue in Parliament before Modi then I am sure he will not be able to face it."
Modi, who is campaigning for his party in Karnataka on Tuesday, selected the moment as apt for attacking the Congress leader and said: "The Congress President has challenged me. He said that if he speaks for 15 minutes in the Parliament then Modi will not be able to sit."
"He is absolutely correct.In no way an ordinary person like me, who do not even dress well, can sit with such high and mighty people like the Congress President," he said.
"We do not want to sit in front of you too," he said.
Challenging Gandhi and referring to his mother's native tongue, Modi then said: "I challenge you to speak for 15 minutes on the achievements of your government in Karnataka. You must speak without reading from any piece of paper. You can speak in Hindi, English or your mata ki matra-bhasha (you mother's native tongue)."
Polling is scheduled to be held in the state on May 12. The counting of votes will take place on May 15.
Karnataka is one of the last few strong holds of the Congress.
The Karnataka poll has virtually turned out to be a battle between present and former Chief Ministers, Siddaramaiah and Yeddyurappa respectively.
Yeddyurappa is the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) Chief Ministerial candidate in the poll.
The BJP is eyeing on to return to power in the state.
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