Ruckus erupted in the Lok Sabha when Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday during the debate on Motion of Thanks on President’s address.
Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh countered strongly to Rahul Gandhi’s arguments, accusing the Congress MP of insulting the Hindu community.
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LoP Gandhi was referring to Modi’s purported remarks on Mahatma Gandhi that the latter was not prominently known until a movie was made on him. He said, “The PM says that Gandhi is dead and Gandhi was revived by a movie… Can you understand the ignorance?”
Targeting the ruling BJP, the Congress leader further said that “all our great men have spoken about non-violence…but those who, call themselves Hindu, only talk about violence, hatred and untruth…Aap Hindu ho hi nahi…”
The Prime Minister, who was present in the House, responded to his remarks, and said that “calling the entire Hindu community violent is a serious matter.”
Rahul Gandhi countered him saying, “Narendra Modi ji is not the entire Hindu community, the BJP is not the entire Hindu community, the RSS is not the entire Hindu community.”
Gandhi displayed a copy of the Constitution and photos of religious icons, including Lord Shiva, Prophet Mohammed, and Guru Nanak Singh during his speech.
Watch the Parliament showdown between Rahul and Modi below
Earlier in the day, the Opposition Congress staged a walkout from the Lower House after its demand for a separate one-day debate on NEET-UG row was rejected by the Speaker.
“We wanted a one-day discussion on NEET. It is an important issue. More than two crore students have been affected. Paper leaks have happened on 70 occasions. We would be happy if you allow a separate discussion on the issue,” Gandhi said.
However, the Centre Opposed the separate discussion on the issue, saying no other issue was taken up during the Motion of Thanks on President’s address.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh intervened, saying that a discussion can’t be allowed till the House finishes the debate on Motion of Thanks.
“In my decades-long tenure as a parliamentarian, never has any other issue been taken up during the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address. Other issues can be raised after passing the motion of thanks,” Singh said.
Speaker Om Birla said there was no convention of taking up any other discussion during the debate on the Motion of Thanks and members can give a separate notice for the discussion on NEET.
As soon as Birla asked BJP MP Anurag Thakur to initiate the discussion on the Motion of Thanks, the Opposition staged a walk-out from the Lok Sabha demanding assurance of a debate from the government on the issue.
