New Delhi: The BJP on Monday protested inside and outside the Parliament after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi said in Lok Sabha that ruling party members are “not Hindus” as they promote division and violence.
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it is a serious matter that Gandhi is “calling the entire Hindu society” violent, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other ministers demanded an apology from the Congress leader.
Rahul Gandhi took a swipe at the ruling BJP in the Lok Sabha, saying those who call themselves Hindus are engaged in “violence and hate” round the clock.
As the remarks sparked protests by the treasury benches, Gandhi was heard saying, “The BJP and the RSS do not represent all the Hindus… We are also Hindus.”
Home Minister Shah claimed Gandhi “insulted” crores of Hindus by saying that they commit violence, spread hatred and lies. “He should apologise for this.”
Union Health Minister and BJP president J P Nadda also lambasted Gandhi. “First day, worst show! Lies + Hindu hatred = Rahul Gandhi Ji in Parliament. Third Time Fail LoP has a knack for agitated, flawed logic. His speech today has shown that neither has he understood the mandate of 2024 (his third successive loss) nor does he have any humility,” he posted on X.
Nadda said Gandhi “lied” on many counts including matters that concern the country’s “hardworking farmers and brave armed forces”.
But he was “duly fact-checked” by Union ministers for making “false claims” on the MSP and the Agniveer scheme, the health minister said. “For his own cheap politics, he won’t even spare our farmers and security forces.”
Nadda said discussion on the President’s Speech is about a “healthy debate” but the Opposition, in its “misplaced triumphalism”, continues to be destructive, not constructive.
“Never in the last 60 years has an opposition been rejected 3 times consecutively. The way they are going, they will beat their own record in the coming times,: he said.
“Rahul Gandhi Ji must immediately apologise to all Hindus for terming them as violent. This is the same person who was telling foreign diplomats that Hindus are terrorists. This intrinsic hate towards Hindus must stop,” he added.
Nadda also demanded Gandhi to apologise to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, alleging that his “utterances” towards the Chair were in “very poor taste”.
“The Leader of the Opposition is now a 5-time MP but he has not learnt parliamentary norms and neither does he understand civility. Time and again, he reduces the levels of discourse. His utterances towards the Chair today were in very poor taste. He owes an apology to the Chair for casting unsubstantiated aspersions on his integrity and personality,” the BJP chief said.
Flaying Gandhi for his remarks, Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman alleged the appeasement politics of the Congress and Gandhi “starts and ends with Hindu hate”.
“Sheer audacity of LoP (Leader of Opposotion) Rahul Gandhi to call everyone, who calls himself Hindu, as ‘hinsak’/violent shows the Congress’s hatred and contempt towards Hindus. Also consistent with Hindu hate of his INDI Alliance partners. Hypocrisy in claiming ‘Mohabbat ki Dukaan’ exposed,” she said in a post on X.
Criticising Gandhi for his remarks, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said democracy will remain intact and there will also be peace “so long as Hindus are in majority” in the country.
“I want to tell Rahul Gandhi that so long as Hindutva is there, there will be democracy and peace in the country,” he told PTI at Parliament Complex, when asked for comment. “Look around the world. There is still peace in the country. There is no peace in Pakistan and other countries in the world.”
Union Minister Krishan Pal Gurjar said the Leader of Opposition only made “baseless remarks” and did not give any “positive suggestion” in the House. “He brought shame to the dignity of the position of Leader of Opposition,” he told PTI.
BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal also hit out at Gandhi, saying the LoP had to speak on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address following the tradition but he did not do so. “He spoke about everything else.”
“He gave a unique knowledge to the world by saying that ‘abhay mudra’ lies in the foundation of all religions,” Jaiswal told PTI, taking swipes at Gandhi over his remarks on Lord Shiva’s ‘abhay mudra’.
Union Minister Chirag Paswan alleged Gandhi “hurt the sentiments of Hindus” with his remarks. He also accused the Leader of Opposition of making fun of Lord Shiva and his devotees by showing the deity’s image in the House and keeping it “disrespectfully” on his table.
“Parliament has its dignity. You can give political speeches and criticise (government) policies. But making personal comments against someone and hurting the faith of the people will not be tolerated,” he added.
