Hajipur/Bettiah (Bihar): Oct 19 (PTI) Senior BJP leader L K Advani today invited Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi to openly debate their statements on use of Central funds in Bihar, saying the amount did not belong to either of them.
"The central funds do not belong to Manmohan Singh or for that matter the party ruling at the Centre ... It is the money of the country distributed among the states in keeping with constitutional norms," the BJP Parliamentary Party Chairman said during election meetings at Hajipur and Bettiah.
Attacking Singh and Gandhi for their comments alleging non-implementation of Central schemes in the state, Advani said "I ask Manmohan Singh and others to come to the platform here. We (NDA) are ready for a open debate."
"All NDA leaders, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and even BJP General Secretary Ravishankar Prasad will be at their disposal for the debate," he said.
He also challenged RJD chief Lalu Prasad to an open debate with any NDA leader he desired so that the people could decide whom to vote for on the basis of their merit.
RJD did nothing for Bihar's development during its 15-year rule and "Criminals ruled the roost under state patronage while kidnapping flourished as an industry."
"People have adjudged Kumar as the most able CM Bihar ever had ... BJP and NDA know how to ensure better utilisation of funds," Advani said.
Referring to his 59-day Yatra in 1997 on the golden jubilee of the country's independence, Advani held Congress responsible for the ills plaguing the country, including in Jammu and Kashmir.
