‘Rahul Gandhi Tried To Defame India In London, Should Apologize’: Uproar In Lok Sabha Over Congress MP’s Remarks

The second part of the Budget session began on a stormy note on Monday (March 13, 2023) with the ruling party’s MPs demanding an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his recent remarks in the UK. As soon as the proceedings started in Lok Sabha, Defence Minister stood up and said that Gandhi has tried to “defame” India in London through his remarks on Indian democracy.

“Mr Rahul Gandhi, who is a member of the Lok Sabha, has gone to London and tried to defame India and said that the democratic system in India is completely collapsing. He has also said that foreign forces should save India’s democracy,” Singh said.

This House should condemn his remarks and he should tender an apology, the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (MP) lawmaker demanded.

A similar statement was also made by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, who asked where was democracy when fundamental rights were “trampled” (during the Emergency) and where was democracy when an ordinance, duly approved by the Union Cabinet, was torn (by Rahul Gandhi during the UPA government).

The defence minister’s demand was also supported by ruling alliance members.

Speaker Om Birla said democracy in India is strong and getting stronger.

As Congress members protested strongly, the speaker adjourned the House till 2 pm.

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

Opposition To Corner Modi Govt On Several Issues During Second Leg Of Budget Session

Meanwhile, the Opposition parties have planned to raise issues like the action of central agencies against the BJP’s political rivals and allegations against the Adani group in the ongoing Budget Session.

The opposition parties met on Monday morning to evolve their strategy in both Houses of Parliament after protests by them on the Hindenburg-Adani issue overshadowed most of the first half of the Budget session.

On Sunday, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar also had a one-on-one meeting.

“Met @VPIndia, ahead of the forthcoming session of the Parliament to seek his cooperation,” Kharge said in a tweet.

“We as Opposition parties are keen to play a constructive role in making the Government accountable and would want discussion on every burning issue facing the nation,” he said.

Kharge had on Friday accused the Narendra Modi government of making “sinister attempts to kill democracy” by misusing probe agencies against opposition leaders, as he slammed the Centre over the ED searches on the premises of former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad’s family.

The Samajwadi Party, the Left and the DMK were among those who protested against the alleged attack on the federal structure and the “misuse” of institutions.

Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress will raise in Parliament issues such as LIC and SBI’s risk exposure, price rise of essential commodities, unemployment and “misuse” of central agencies during the second phase of the session, its Rajya Sabha floor leader Derek O’Brien had recently said.

He said LIC’s risk exposure and price rise affect the lives of the common man and their savings and should be highlighted.

The TMC will also raise the issue of “political vendetta” against non-BJP ruled states in Parliament and also question the Union government on “holding back of funds for schemes such as MNREGA”, O’Brien said.

At the all-party meeting, AAP raised the issue of alleged misuse of investigative agencies and the Adani-Hindenburg matter. Its leader and former deputy chief minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia has been recently arrested by the CBI and the ED in cases related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. Former Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain is already in jail on charges of money laundering.

The opposition parties are also gearing up to corner the government on issues such as the China border row and unemployment.

The session, which began on January 31, is likely to conclude on April 6.

Parliament is meeting after a month-long recess which allows various parliamentary panels to scrutinise allocations made in the Union Budget for different ministries.