Omar asks Rahul to take up PM Modi's challenge and speak without notes for 15 mins

NEW DELHI: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Tuesday asked Congress President Rahul Gandhi to take up the challenge thrown at him by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Karnataka rally. Omar Abdullah urged Rahul Gandhi to speak without notes for 15 minutes and said that Narendra Modi can then be asked to clarify his stand on BJP ministers' statements on Kathua rape and murder case. Taking to Twitter Omar said: I hope @RahulGandhi takes up the Hon PM’s challenge & speaks w/out using notes for 15 min about the Karnataka Govt & then perhaps we can ask the Hon PM to speak for 2 min about why the rape & murder of an 8 year old girl is “a minor issue”.

I hope @RahulGandhi takes up the Hon PM’s challenge & speaks w/out using notes for 15 min about the Karnataka Govt & then perhaps we can ask the Hon PM to speak for 2 min about why the rape & murder of an 8 year old girl is “a minor issue”.

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 1, 2018

Earlier on Tuesday, Modi while addressing his first rally for Karnataka assembly election campaign dared Rahul to speak in any language of his choice for 15 minutes without a paper in hand. "I dare the Congress president to speak in Hindi, English or the mother tongue of his mother to deliver a speech in Karnataka for 15 minutes, without reading out from a piece of paper, on the achievements of the party government... people of Karnataka will draw their own conclusion," Modi told an election rally in Santemaranahalli. Modi’s sharp riposte came after Rahul during Congress' Jan Aakrosh Rally dared the prime minister to allow him to speak for 15 minutes in Parliament and said that he will not be able to sit for 15 minutes.