Politics

Row over Rahul Gandhi’s remarks hits Lok Sabha proceedings for second consecutive day

Published

2 weeks ago

March 14, 2023

The row over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi‘s remarks in Britain seeking intervention of the US and European nations over “disappearing” democracy in India disrupted the Lok Sabha for the second consecutive day on Tuesday. Soon after the house assembled, BJP members raised slogans seeking an apology from Rahul Gandhi, while the Congress-led opposition waved placards with quotes from speeches of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visits abroad. “Rahul Gandhi maafi mango (Rahul Gandhi apologise),” BJP members shouted repeatedly from their seats. Some ministers, too, were on their feet.

Opposition members raised slogans from the aisles and avoided trooping into the well of the house.

“BRICS ka ‘I’ ludak raha hai (The ‘I’ in BRICS is tottering),” read one placard referring to the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa grouping. “Pata nahi pehle janam main kya paap kiya tha, Hindustan main paida hua (Don’t know what sin I had committed that I was born in India),” read another placard waved by a Congress member quoting the prime minister’s speech in Seoul in May 2015.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla tried to take up the Question Hour and appealed to the members to uphold the dignity of the house.

Asking the Congress members, who were on their feet, to maintain decorum of the house and not show placards, Birla said they should let the Lok Sabha function. “I will give the opportunity to raise issues after Question Hour. Question Hour is an important part of parliamentary proceedings. I will give you adequate opportunities, but after Question Hour. I urge you to return to your seats. I will allow every topic to be raised as per the rules,” Birla said.

However, Congress members continued their protest following which the speaker adjourned the house till 2 pm. After resumption of the house, papers and standing committee reports were presented in the amid the ruckus.

The house was adjourned for the day within 10 minutes.

Gandhi recently alleged in London that the structures of Indian democracy are under brutal attack and there is a full-scale assault on the institutions of the country.

Demanding an apology from Gandhi for his remarks, the ruling BJP charged that the Congress leader has tried to defame India.

Lok Sabha proceedings were disrupted on Monday too, as the BJP-Congress slugfest escalated over Gandhi’s remark. The government sought an apology while the opposition benches demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Adani-Hindenburg issue.

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Politics

BJP plans campaign against Rahul Gandhi’s ‘insult to backwards’

Published

3 hours ago

March 29, 2023

ironity

New Delhi: The BJP has planned a campaign from April 6-14 to highlight Congress leader Rahul Gandhi‘s disqualification from the Lok Sabha as a decision stemming from his “insult to OBCs (other backward classes)” and the work done by the Modi government for the community.On Tuesday, the BJP’s OBC members from both Houses took out a march from Parliament complex to Vijay Chowk protesting against Gandhi’s comments on the “Modi surname“, which led to his disqualification, and demanded an apology.

Union minister Smriti Irani, who defeated Gandhi in the 2019 general election from Amethi, termed his refusal to apologise to the OBC community for his “indecent” comments yet another “manifestation of the Gandhi family’s political arrogance”.

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Politics

As Rahul Gandhi decides to move out, Mallikarjun Kharge offers his residence

Published

3 hours ago

March 29, 2023

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New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi formally informed the authorities on Tuesday that he will comply with the directive to vacate his official bungalow on 12, Tughlaq lane following his disqualification as a member of the Lok Sabha after his court conviction. Party president Mallikarjun Kharge suggested Gandhi could stay at his mother Sonia Gandhi‘s 10 Janpath official residence or else move to Kharge’s Rajaji Marg official residence.

Within a day after he received the official directive, Gandhi wrote back to the concerned official of the Lok Sabha secretariat. “As an elected member of the Lok Sabha over the last 4 terms, it is the mandate of the people to which I owe the happy memories of my time spent here. Without prejudice to my rights, I will, of course , abide by the details contained in your letter.” Gandhi has one month to vacate the house and his letter meant he was not seeking an extended stay there.

Kharge lashed out at the government for asking Gandhi even as he made his own suggestion and offer. “He can go and live with his mother or he can come to me, I will vacate one (his official residence) for him,” he said.

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Politics

Savarkar row: Congress to tone down attack after Sharad Pawar’s intervention

Published

6 hours ago

March 28, 2023

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New Delhi: Amid strains in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi alliance over Rahul Gandhi’s strident criticism of V D Savarkar, NCP chief Sharad Pawar has stepped in to play the peacemaker by conveying Shiv Sena’s concerns on the issue to the Congress leadership. Opposition leaders said Congress has agreed to tone down its criticism of Savarkar, which has led to an unease in the NCP and the Shiv Sena (UBT), its alliance partners in Maharashtra. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said he had raised the Savarkar issue in his talks with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi and MVA partners are on the same page on this matter.

“MVA alliance is intact. If anyone thinks the MVA will break apart, they are wrong,” Raut told reporters here.

Gandhi is learnt to have assured Raut he would avoid any critical reference to Savarkar. Pawar raised the issue during a meeting of opposition leaders convened by Kharge on Monday and made it clear that targeting Savarkar, a revered figure in Maharashtra, would not help MVA, two leaders who attended the meeting told PTI.

Former Congress presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were present at the meeting.

“Almost all opposition leaders were of the view that there was no need to rake up the Savarkar issue. We have to decide whether we have to fight Modi or Savarkar and not create confusion,” Raut said after a meeting of parliamentarians owing allegiance to the Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena. Pawar also told Rahul Gandhi that Savarkar was never a member of the RSS and underscored that the real fight of the opposition parties was with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP.

Opposition leaders said Rahul told the meeting that the Savarkar issue was an ideological position.

Leaders of Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, Aam Aadmi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Bharatiya Rashtra Samithi also reached out to the Thackeray faction Shiv Sena.

As the BJP stepped up attack on Rahul Gandhi and sought his apology for “maligning” India on his recent visit to the UK, the former Lok Sabha member from Wayanad said at a press conference on Saturday that he was not Savarkar and would not apologise.

Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray slammed Rahul Gandhi for his attack on Savarkar and said his outfit will not tolerate any insult of the freedom fighter.

The Thackeray faction had skipped the meeting convened by Kharge as a mark of protest against Gandhi’s remarks targeting Savarkar.

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