In his Independence Day speech at Bhuj, Gujarat, the opposition BJP’s undeclared but leading prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi challenged prime minister Manmohan Singh to a debate with him ahead of the next general elections. While this isn’t the first time either Modi or the BJP has demanded such a debate, purists and academics scoff at the idea. According to them, parliamentary democracy cannot indulge in such debates, and that those animated and televised discussions be best left for US-style presidential elections.

But with debates in parliament now more or less history, and televised debates during prime time (and not just in English but in almost all Indian language channels) a new reality from where people draw succour and comprehension on a wide array of issues, the idea may not exactly be a bad one. So, do you agree the Congress party should agree to Modi’s demand and let Singh verbally spar it out with the Gujarat chief minister?