Open debate: Will Advani take on Sarabhai?

Advani who dared Manmohan Singh to a televised debate should accept Sarabhai's challenge. The people of Gandhinagar have every right to know what he has done for them in the past 20 years. Advani is an MP first, then a PM-in waiting

M. Gautham Machaiah
Bangalore

BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate L.K. Advani who recently challenged incumbent Premier Manmohan Singh to a televised debate has got a taste of his own medicine. Advani has now been invited by danseuse Mallika Sarabhai, who is contesting against him as an independent candidate at the Gandhinagar parliamentary constituency in Gujarat, to an open debate.

If Advani believes in practicing what he preaches, he should accept Sarabhai’s challenge. Advani might be the Prime Minister-in waiting, he might be a national leader, but he is first a Member of Parliament. Thus, his primary responsibility is towards his constituency. The people of Gandhinagar have every right to know what he has done for them during the four terms that he has represented the constituency.

Sarabhai has posed five questions to Advani, all of which pertain to his performance as an MP:

How many and what kind of questions have you raised in the Lok Sabha about Gandhinagar in the last five years?

What efforts have you made towards opportunities for education and livelihood generation in rural areas of the constituency?

Why have you not spoken out against violence and atrocities against women in Gujarat and specifically in Gandhinagar?

Despite being an MP representing Gandhinagar for two decades why have not shown any concern towards local issues of the constituency as well as the State?

Have you used your funds under MPLAD (Member of Parliament Local Area Development) scheme to benefit the deprived and underprivileged in your constituency?

Critics might ask what Sarabhai’s contribution to Gandhinagar is, but it should be remembered that she was not an MP for 20 years, like Advani. Besides, the questions she has posed are what every voter would want to ask his representative.

It remains to be seen if Advani will take up Sarabhai’s challenge. If he does, he will set a healthy trend which can be emulated across the country, if he does not, Advani will prove that he is no better than others of his ilk.

With election campaigning becoming increasingly communalised and personalised, the real issue, that is, the contribution of an MP to his constituency had got sidetracked. Sarabhai deserves to be congratulated for bringing the debate back to the basics.

(Picture sourced from: http://www.indiasummary.com/)

COMMENTS

Well, I am sure he would if he had the time. Being the Prime Ministerial candidate, many voters want to know what he would do for India. I guess that would encompass Gandhinagar too.
-Manna Mandanna, Bangalore

Yes, Sarabhai should be praised for taking the initiative to give a right direction to Indian politics and thus political leaders. But I am afraid, she chose the wrong leader in the form of Advani, I am sure he would have totally safeguarded the interests of Gandhinagar, under the watchful eyes of "Vibrant Gujarat" Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

I feel we should not ask Advani how many questions he has raised in Parliament pertaining to Gandhinagar. We cannot confine him to one constituency, as he has bigger issues to be addressed in the interest of entire nation.

However, it will be definitely interesting to see if the debate takes place. Personally, I would want Advani to accept the offer. He should also not hesitate to gracefully accept non-performances if any. Let the "PM prospect" be a role model to the existing and up- coming politicians of India.
-A. Anju, Hyderabad

(This article was also posted on MSN. Some of the responses received are reproduced below)

Advani’s mere presence in the Parliament as a representative of Gandhinagar is enough for the people. Not only Gandhinanar, but for all those who love Indian culture and religion.
-Dr.A.K.Tewari, Allahabad

Advani is a communal person by nature and has always protected Narendra Modi and communal forces in the country. He has developed a negative mind and will never be positive. Thus, he cannot think positively for the good of the country. It will be good for the country as a whole if the people do not elect a communal Prime Minister.
Ozzy, London

Nobody really cares about what you and I or the common man thinks. Politics in India has become a business. The MP representing a particular constituency should be a local from that place, so that he /she can take some personal interest.
-l dsouza, Goa

Advani is a coward. He only knows to show his smartness with the weaker section. He will not be able to face Sarabhai. He was born in Pakistan. If he comes to power he will sell India to Pakistan. After all, Pakistan is his birthplace.
-Sarla Chabbria, Gujarat

It may be true that Advani hails from a place which is in today's Pakistan. But how could he be responsible for dividing the country and creating Pakistan? Can we stop speaking like ignorant people and think rationally?
Chandra Shekar, Bangalore

Sarla says Advani was born is Pakistan and hence he is not fit to be in India and become the Prime Minister. Does she mean that Gen Musharaff was born in India, and he deserves to become the Prime Minister of India? This is ridiculous.
-Anil Kumar Shinde, Mumbai

Sarla's comments are absurd. When Pakistan was created by Congress, where is the question of Advani selling India to Pakistan? Everybody knows who has been playing with the sentiments of the minorites since independence.
-PM, New Delhi

I have one question for Mallika Sarabhai: When you declared your worth as above Rs 2 crore, why did you beg money to pay the security deposit while filing your nomination? L.K. Advani and Manmohan Singh are Prime Minister material and they can pose questions to each other and challenge each other. Mallika should confine herself to dancing or making a few visits to Parliament, whenever she is free from her dancing programmes.
-VR Mandalika - Hyderabad

It is like a recently hired graduate engineer challenging N.R. Narayana Murthy to a debate on IT.
-Hitesh Tiwary

Sarabhai’s invitation to Advani shows the truthfulness of a candidate fighting an election in the world’s bigest democracy. Everyone should support Sarabhai. Advani must accept the challenge.
Rohit Chhabra, New Delhi

If Advani accepts such challenges posed by any Tom, Dick and Harry he will lose his stature.
-Dr.V.S.Bhaskar Rao, Hyderabad

So, Sarabhai wants to piggy ride on Advani's fame. She is trying to fool the people even before getting started. Advani is a national level leader and has earned this stature after contributing more than five decades of his life for the people of India.
-Sameer Agarwal, Mumbai

Development of a nation is more important than that of a particular constituency. If the nation progresses so will all the constituencies. Being a true national leader, Advani has done his part of the job, be it raising questions on the security of the nation or contributing towards the development of the country during his stint as the Home Minister. As rightly pointed out, a debate should only be between equals.
-Shashank, New Delhi

Now, our nation should ask Advani to respond to our well known fellow citizen's challange so that he can set an example of himself. But I do not think he will take the risk of losing face in public. He is an almost retired person in public life who pretends to be a very smart person! Let him go to the Himalayas to get mental peace.
-Siba, Mumbai

How much has Sarabhai contributed towards the well being of Gandhinagar or its people? It is time such would be politicians do something for the country first instead of questioning other’s integrity. Ms. Sarabhai please concentrate on your dancing career.
-Vijay, Mumbai

Advani’s political career is self- explanatory. Instead of asking petty questions to him, Sarabhai should have tried to know, on her own, what are his contributions to the nation. She is playing a political gimmick to fool the voters. A good beginning!
-Prabha Menon, New Delhi

Great Mallika, This is a question all Gandhinagar voters should be asking L K Advani. Although the BJP government has done a lot for Gujarat, it is Chief Minister Narendra Modi who should be commended, not Advani.
He fights from Gandhinagar because it is a safe seat for the BJP. The only main contribution Advani has to his political glory is the infamous Rath Yatra which led to the huge communal division of our great country. Way to go Mallika. Kudos!
-Naveen, Muscat

The questions she has asked should be answered by all the MPs who have been re-nominated by their respective parties. Anyhow hats off to the bold and fearless Sarabhai.
-Abdul, Chennai

Please spread this awareness to one and all that one must first practice what he wants other to follow.
-Anil, New Delhi

It is time Advani got a taste of his own medicine. Advani has made it a habit of denigrating anyone who he feels is in the way of him achieving his life time ambition of becoming the Prime Minister, an ambition which will never be realised.
-Bala, Coimbatore

I do not think L.K. Adwani will accept the challenge. He is an opportunist. He is daydreaming that he will be the Prime Minister. In the past he was in the shadow of Vajpayee and hence he was not exposed. I would prefer Narendra Modi leading the BJP.
-R.K.Yadav, Bhuj

Advani is too big a person to debate exclusively with Mallika Sarabhai who has absolutely no contribution to the society except publicity mongering. Let her debate with her equals. As far as Advani is concerned, he expresses himself in public which is reported in the media. So, the country already knows Advani's views.
-Virendra Kikani, Ahmedabad

Sarabhai is no match for Advani. A fight has to be amongst equals. Why are Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi not accepting Advani's offer for a debate?
-G.S. Rau, Bangalore

An ant inviting the elephant for a wrestling duel?
-Dr Chhabra, Chandigarh

Advani does not need to get into a debate with a novice like Sarabhai. Sonia Gandhi or Manmohan Singh should come forward and accept Advani’s challenge for an open debate. I wonder what Sarabhai is trying to prove by being a hurdle in Advani's way of getting elected to the Parliament. He is one of the most deserving persons to be in the Parliament.
It is up to the people of this country to decide whether he should be the Prime Minister, but he for sure should be elected as an MP.
-Surya,Hyderabad

Yes, I do agree with Sarabahai. Please vote for her.
-Sanjay Sheth, Mumbai

For an MP, it is very important to make sure that the constituency he represents is developed. If constituencies do not develop, the nation can never develop. Questions raised by Sarabhai are shocking. I never thought Advani can be so careless and not even spend money on the people of Gandhinagar. Regarding raising questions on security by Advani and focussing on issues of national importance, it is very easy for anybody to ask questions and declare himself in advertisements as a tough leader. Has the nation forgotton what BJP government did with Kandahar hijackers? They shameless bent their knees and released the JeM leader who is now free to inflict damage on India.
-Parvin Seth, New Delhi

Many have written here questioning the 'equals' status of Mallika. If you look at Manmohan Singh's educational qualifications and his contribution to the country, Advani is in no way an equal to Manmohan.
-JC, Mumbai

Manmohan Singh is an honest person unlike Advani. Manmohan has much better qualifications than Advani. Advani praises Jinnah when he goes to Pakistan. Economic liberlisation whose benefits have been reaped by India with booming IT and BPO sectors was initiated by Manmohan and envisioned by Congress. Advani can envision Mandir- Masjid issue. Advani can think of Rath Yatras to divide the nation. He comes nowhere near Manmohan Singh.
-PS, New Delhi

I am very much surprised and shocked at many of the comments here questioning Sarabhai challenging Advani for an open debate, especially so, because all the people who are in a position to comment here are all well educated intelligent people.
It is sad to see that even the intelligentsia of the country does not have a clear understanding of the democratic process. Both these leaders are candidates contesting for the same parliamentary seat and as a rival candidate she has asked him for a debate.
What is wrong with that? It is very much a part and parcel of the democratic process - not that much of it is followed currently in our political setup
Advani has a chance to accept the debate and show that he respects and follows the democratic principles that he so much propagates. I for one believe that such debates on local issues should be mandatory in each and every constituency in the country. All candidates should be able to answer questions on any local issue and also what they have done in the past and what plans they have for the future. This would enable local citizens to actively become part of the democratic process.
-Manoj, London

Mallika might be trying to get undeserved publicity with this debate. What are her credentials except being the daughter of a renowned scientist? Her questions have no substance and relevance.
-Rajeev Raj Suri, Ahmedabad

Advani is an opportunist. He is scared that if he does not make it this time by hook or crook to the hot seat, it will be the end of his career, because his age will never allow him a replay.
-Hamid, Bangalore

At least, L.K.Advani is a Lok Sabha MP unlike Manmohan who is just a Rajya Sabha member, that too, not elected from his home State of Punjab, but from a safe State like Assam. Manmohan is not in a position to get elected to the Lok Sabha even from the safe State of Assam. He does not have the courage to face the people. Kudos to him and his credentials.
In a democracy, at the least the Prime Minister should be elected directly by the people. Did the highly educated Manmohan Singh respect this sentiment?
L.K Advani is less educated compared to Manmohan , but at least appreciate his courage to fight an election and get the mandate of the people directly.
The Congress has fielded Mallika Sarabhai against Advani. Why? Do they have the guts to field Manmohan against Advani in any Lok Sabha constituency? They know very well what the results will be.
Sarabhai is a novice in electoral politics; she is a first timer. I remember that when Sonia Gandhi got elected from both Bellary in Karnataka and Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP had the guts to field good candidates against her.
-Shivakumar, Bangalore

So, Mallika wants to know what Advani did for Gandhinagar? Why did she not pose these questions earlier? Obviously, her only intention is to seek publicity. Does she expect Advani to supervise the cleaning of drains in Ahmedabad?
-Teesar, Secunderabad

Mallika as a citizen of India and moreso as a voter from the constituency of Gandhinagar has rightly asked Advani to answer questions that should not be brushed under the carpet. If Advani can call people weak, crippled etc., then he has to be willing to answer some straight questions.
If Mallika is gaining mileage by asking such questions it sounds fine because if Advani thinks the onus of the country is on him and we should trust him, without him proving what he did for his constituency how do we accept his leadership for the country? This applies to each and every Member of Parliament irrespective of their party. Their voters should actually have an annual progress report of the MP which decides whether he should even contest for the elections the next time around
-Albe, Chennai

Everyone knows that you cannot start having debates all over the place, or there would be chaos. In the US, debates are held between presidential candidates only. Congress is clearly afraid of the real challenge and is trying to escape the main debate by trying to field an unknown person against Advani. Even if such a debate is held and the lady loses, it would mean nothing, for the lady is currently a nobody. This is just a clever ploy by the Congress, nothing else.
-D K Anand, New Delhi

Leave Mr Advani alone. Let him be busy in communal issues instead of the country’s progress. He knows how to get the poor people’s attention.
-Rahul, Delhi

I do agree that Advani should accept this challenge and respond immediately.
-Basanta, Jajpur

Basanta: Let Manmohan accept Advani's challenge; then you can think of Advani accepting Mallika's challenge. How can you expect Advani, or for that matter even Manmohan Singh to accept every Tom, Dick and Harry's challenge?
-Anil Kumar Shinde, Mumbai

Healthy questions like these should be the basis of every voter’s vote for the candidate in his / her constituency. Do not let communalism be the basis of elections. Keep it up Sarabhai. Hope others follow.
-Asad, Mumbai

Madam Sarabhai, where the hell were you till now? Hope you are not speaking on behalf of some one else/party. Why should Advani respond to youl? And finally, what is your contribution? Tomorrow any Ram, Shyam or Ghanshyam can get up and act the way you are acting today. It would be better for you to withdraw from the elections.
-Naren Kumar, New Delhi