Congress leader and LoP Rahul Gandhi’s response to the motion of thanks on the President's address has created a significant uproar in Lok Sabha on Monday (July 1). His remarks not only stirred the Parliament but also drew objections from Prime Minister Narendra Modi who said, "Calling the entire Hindu community violent is a very serious matter."
Here are the top quotes from Rahul Gandhi’s speech:
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, said, "Abhayamudra is the symbol of Congress. It represents fearlessness, reassurance, and safety, dispelling fear and providing divine protection and bliss in Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism, and other Indian religions. All our great leaders have advocated for non-violence and ending fear. However, those who claim to be Hindu only speak of violence, hatred, and untruth. You are not truly Hindu."
"NEET is not a professional exam; it's a commercial one designed to favour rich students," said Rahul Gandhi.
"The snake around Lord Shiva's neck symbolizes that we should never fear death. With this belief, we stand in opposition, and I am proud of that. It gives us more than power; it strengthens our resolve. I will work for the truth and will not back down from it. Behind the left shoulder of Lord Shiva is the trishul, which is not a symbol of violence. When we defended the truth, there was not an ounce of violence in us."
"There has been a systematic and a full-scale assault on the idea of India, the Constitution, and on the people who resisted the attack on the Constitution. Many of us were personally attacked. Some of the leaders are still in jail. Anyone who resisted the idea of concentration of power and wealth, aggression on the poor, Dalits, and minorities was crushed. I was attacked by the order of the Government of India, by the order of the Prime Minister of India. The most enjoyable part of it was the 55 hours of interrogation by the ED."
"All our great men have spoken about non-violence and finishing fear...But, those who call themselves Hindu only talk about violence, hatred, untruth…Aap Hindu ho hi nahi…"
"The country has together protected the Constitution. It feels nice that BJP people are now repeating 'Jai Samvidhan' after me."
"All religions talk about courage. Islam, Sikhism, and others underline that one should be fearless."