Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not yet "mustered the courage" to accept the invitation for a debate with Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Sunday, a day after Gandhi accepted the invite.

Justice (Retd) Madan B Lokur, Justice (Retd) Ajit P Shah and N Ram had written to former Congress chief Gandhi and the prime minister last week inviting them to a platform for a debate on the key Lok Sabha election issues.

"Day 1 of Rahul Gandhi's letter accepting an invitation to debate the prime minister. The 56-inch chest has not yet mustered the courage to accept the invite," Ramesh said in a post on X.

He also called as "farce" the interviews being given by the prime minister.

Gandhi on Saturday accepted an invitation for debate with Modi and also said the nation expects the prime minister to participate in it.

Calling Modi an "outgoing PM", Ramesh also alleged that interviews being given by him to newspapers and TV channels were "orchestrated".

"The outgoing PM's 'interviews' - to newspapers and TV channels - are a complete farce that the country is being subjected to these days. Every tiny detail is orchestrated and managed by him. There is not one thing natural or spontaneous about them except his lies and theatrics," Ramesh said.

"There is no cross-questioning and no attempt to engage him in a conversation. It is all pre-scripted. There has been no other political leader in India, current or past, who has dealt with the media in this manner," he said.

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