Angry over 'disgust' remark, Jayant Sinha challenges Rahul Gandhi for live debate on Ramgarh lynching case

NEW DELHI: Not taking Rahul Gandhi's 'disgust' comment lightly, Union Minister Jayant Sinha on Thursday challenged the Congress chief to a live debate on the Ramgarh lynching case.

“Shri Rahul Gandhi ji has taken the attack against me to a personal level. He has condemned my education, values, and humanity. I challenge him to a live debate in Hindi or English on the Ramgarh lynching case,” tweeted the Minister of State for Civil Aviation.

I invite Sh. @RahulGandhi ji to a live debate. pic.twitter.com/7c3cE18uKE — Jayant Sinha (@jayantsinha) July 12, 2018

"If he thinks that my personal conduct is 'disgusting' then let's debate it in a civilized manner. Let him not hide behind his social media handles and practice shoot-and-scoot politics. Our great Republic deserves no less,” wrote Sinha on Twitter.

Sinha further said that he regrets his actions of felicitating the convicts and that “vigilantism is totally unacceptable.”

"I did not intend, in any way, to condone vigilantism, and I sincerely regret if that's the impression I gave," he said.

On July 6, a photo went viral on social media in which Sinha was seen garlanding the eight Ramgarh lynching convicts. This led to a massive uproar from opponents and including his father Yashwant Sinha.

On Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi had lashed out at Sinha for garlanding the convicts and asked his Twitter followers to sign a petition demanding the withdrawal of Sinha's Harvard alum status.

“If the sight of a highly educated MP & Central Minister, Jayant Sinha, garlanding & honouring criminals convicted of lynching an innocent man, fills you with disgust, click on the link & support this petition,” tweeted the Congress president.