Decide a date, I will challenge Modi to a debate: Sibal

Communications and Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal on Friday took potshots at Bharatiya Janata Party prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for repeatedly raising slogans of a Congress-free India, and challenged him to a debate on any issue of national interest.

"Why to free the country from Congress? What has the Congress done? And today, I challenge Modi for a debate on any issue on any platform and in any language, be it Hindi, English or Gujarati. I challenge him to decide the day, the subject, place and language so that all is clear," Sibal told media persons.

"But he will not be able to do so because he has not held any press conference yet then what will he debate with me. Have you heard him in any press conference? He just goes and delivers his speech from the podium," he added.

Modi has so far in his elections speeches issued a call for ousting the Congress, terming the party a 'burden' on the nation. He has also criticized the Congress-led UPA Government's foreign policy.

Sibal said a man aspiring to become the country's prime minister must give an alternative vision.

"What is that alternative vision? What is his vision on education? What is his vision on health? What is his vision on national security? What is his vision on cyber space? What is his vision on foreign policy? And it's not a question of now displaying that vision in the coming elections of 2014. What has he done in Gujarat to take that vision forward?" asked Sibal.

"I had earlier been the education Minister, but I never received any letter from the Chief Minister that this should be our party's vision in the field of education. Nor did he see him making any speech because he has no vision; his only constant refrain is that the Congress Party has destroyed India," he added.