Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, along with Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Sudhanshu Trivedi, held a press conference on Monday following the Lok Sabha session on Motion of Thanks. During the press conference, he slammed Rahul Gandhi for making what he called as unsubstantiated claims and spreading lies. He said that being a Leader of the Opposition, he can't make unverified claims. If he had made it, he would have to apologise.
During the press conference, Rijiju said that on all the unverified claims uttered by Rahul Gandhi, they objected on the floor instantly and requested the Speaker to pass a direction that if Rahul Gandhi has lied, he should face the rules and regulations of the House.
"We have made a request to the Speaker to pass a direction that if we have made an unverified statement then we are ready to take a corrective course. But if the Leader of Opposition has lied in the House then he will have to face the rules and regulations of the House. He (Speaker) has already assured in the House that he will give necessary and appropriate directions in this regard", said Parliamentary Affairs Minister.
What Sudhanshu Trivedi said?
Meanwhile, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi mentioned a 2013 incident and advised Rahul Gandhi to take a lesson from former Home Minister and Congress leader Sushil Kumar Shinde.
He emphasised an incident where then Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde had said that violent activities and training camps were being run by the BJP and the RSS but later expressed regret on his statement in the house. He said, "On 20 January 2013, the then Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, who was also the Leader of the House in the Lok Sabha at that time, had said in Jaipur that violent activities and training camps are being run by the BJP and the RSS and when he was asked a question on the floor of the House, he expressed regret. So Rahul Gandhi ji, when you were in power, was your Home Minister right or when you are in the opposition, you are right?"
He went on and said, "I think that taking a lesson from Sushil Shinde, at least Rahul Gandhi should express regret over this." He also attacked Rahul Gandhi and said, "Today you are not only insulting the Hindu society but also proving your government a liar"
Rahul Gandhi lowered the dignity of the LoP: Vaishnaw
Besides, Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also targeted Rahul Gandhi on latter's statement about Hindus in Lok Sabha. Railway Minister Vaishnaw said, "Today Rahul Gandhi has called the entire Hindu society violent and untruthful. He has insulted the Hindu society and this is not the first time, this is the old method of Congress."
Recalling P Chidambaram's statement of calling Hindus terrorists, Vaishnaw targeted Rahul Gandhi and said that he lowered the dignity of the LoP. Vaishnaw said, "In 2010, the then Home Minister P Chidambaram had called Hindus terrorists. Rahul Gandhi has today lowered the dignity of the post of Leader of the Opposition."
"The whole country is saddened by this statement of Rahul Gandhi and no amount of condemnation of this statement is enough. Calling Hindus violent, calling Hindus liars, putting up pictures of God during parliamentary debate, adding politics to it, this level of debate does not suit the leader of the opposition in any way", Ashwini added.
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