Stung by 'disgust' remark, Jayant Sinha dares Rahul Gandhi for debate

July 12, 2018 19:46

Union minister Jayant Sinha today challenged Congress president Rahul Gandhi for a debate after the latter criticised him for felicitating eight men convicted of lynching.

Sinha said that the Congress chief's criticism was a personal attack on him.

"Let him (Rahul) not hide behind his social media handles and practice shoot-and-scoot politics," Sinha said in a statement.

"He has questioned and criticised my education, my values, and my humanity. I challenge him for a live debate either in Hindi or English," he added.

Earlier, Rahul had supported a petition seeking the removal of Sinha's Harvard alumni status.

"If the sight of a highly educated MP and Central Minister, Jayant Sinha, garlanding and honouring criminals convicted of lynching an innocent man, fills you with disgust, click on the link & support this petition," Rahul said in a tweet on Tuesday as he tagged a link to the Change.org petition.

The petition -- urged the President of Harvard University to revoke Sinha's alumni status -- was floated after the minister of civil aviation was seen welcoming a group of eight men who were convicted of a lynching an innocent man by a fast-track court.

They were later granted bail by Jharkhand high court.

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