Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the 15-minute speech challenge, the Congress on Tuesday said Rahul Gandhi will speak in the language of truth and dared the BJP leader to prove to be a match.

On the campaign trail in Karnataka, Modi mocked the Congress president challenging him to a 15-minute debate in Parliament. Modi dared Rahul to speak for
15 minutes in any language – Hindi, English or his “mother’s mother-tongue” – on the achievements of the Siddaramaiah government.

“Rahul Gandhi will speak the language of truth, if the prime minister has the courage to speak the truth... Speak in any language you wish. Speak for even 15 seconds, but without resorting to lies,” Sushmita Dev, president, All India Mahila Congress, told reporters here.

Sushmita also countered Modi’s ‘naamdaar’-’kaamdaar’ jibe at the Congress saying all that the people were interested in was an “imaandaar (honest)” leadership.

“Are you honest or not, Mr Prime Minister, you may respond in 15 minutes or 15 seconds,” the Congress leader said.

She said people expected honest answers from the prime minister on diamond merchant Nirav Modi disappearing with Rs 30,000 crore; why Rafale fighter jets cost
Rs 1,700 crore when the UPA had negotiated for Rs 500 crore and the windfall financial gains by both Jay Shah and Union Minister Piyush Goyal.

“We have only one demand – do you have the integrity to speak, let alone 15 minutes, can you speak for even 15 seconds without lies and misrepresentation,” said Sushmita, a Lok Sabha member from Silchar in Assam.