New Delhi: Congress Lok Sabha MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla asking him to expunge the statement of Defence minister Rajnath Singh wherein he made certain comments on Rahul Gandhi.
In the letter Chowdhury has also requested to expunge remarks of Parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi comments on the matter.
What did Rajnath Singh say?
On Monday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh slammed Rahul Gandhi for "insulting India in London," Singh demanded in Lok Sabha that the Congress leader should be asked to "apologise before the House." "Rahul Gandhi, who is a member of this House, insulted India in London. I demand that his statements should be condemned by all members of this House and he should be asked to apologise before the House," Singh said in the Lower House of the Parliament.
What did Pralhad Joshi say?
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi 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).
"When fundamental rights were trampled during the Emergency, who was in power, what had happened to democracy then. When an ordinance, which was duly approved by the Union Cabinet chaired by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and in attendance of cabinet ministers like Sharad Pawar and Pranab Mukherjee, was torn apart and described as nonsense, where was democracy at that time," he asked.
"When the then prime minister looked 'helpless', where was democracy then," he asked.
Joshi said he condemns Gandhi for "seeking intervention of foreign powers like the US and the Europe".
"If he has some shame, he should come to this House and tender an apology. This is our demand," he said.
Joshi said India is the mother of democracy and Gandhi allegedly cast aspersions on the Speaker and Chair of the House in foreign soil.
"Rahul accused the speaker... But his microphone was on. He was given enough opportunity to speak and spoke in the House freely," he said.
What did Rahul Gandhi say in London?
During interaction at the Chatham House in London recently, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the microphones of Opposition leaders in Parliament are often silenced. He attacked the BJP-led government at the Centre and levelled several allegations.
He even said that Europe and the US are not doing enough to restore democracy in India as they are getting trade and money from the country.
The Congress leader also alleged that various institutions in the country were under threat.
"It shocked me how successful they have been at capturing the different institutions of our country. Press, Judiciary, Parliament, and Election Commission are all under threat and are controlled in one way or the other," Rahul Gandhi said.
He also termed the RSS a "fundamentalist" and "fascist" organisation alleging that it has captured pretty much all of India's institutions.
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