The Rajya Sabha, on Tuesday, witnessed heated exchanges between the treasury benches and the Opposition over the controversial remarks made by Congress President and Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge with the BJP demanding an apology from Kharge.
“Yesterday, Mr Mallikarjun Kharge gave an indecent speech in Alwar. The language used is unfortunate. I condemn the manner in which he used indecent language, said baseless things and attempted to present lies before the nation. I demand an apology from him,” Commerce Minister and Leader of the House Piyush Goyal said amid sharp exchanges between the two sides.
Kharge, however, refused and insisted that the remarks were made outside Parliament and should not be discussed in the House.“What I said during Bharat Jodo Yatra in Rajasthan’s Alwar was outside the House. What I said was politically outside the House, not inside. There is no need to discuss that here. Secondly, I can still say that they had no role in the freedom struggle,” he said.
While participating in the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ at Alwar in Rajasthan yesterday, the Congress president had stated that leaders of his party had “won freedom for the country” and Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi even sacrificed their lives for the nation. Has even your dog at home died for the country? Still, they (BJP) claim to be patriots, and if we say something we are termed as deshdrohi (anti-nationals),” he said.
Even as the din continued in the House, Kharge said, “If I repeat what I said outside it would be difficult for them. You are asking for an apology from those who fought for the country’s Independence. They accused the Congress of holding ‘Bharat Todo Yatra’, to which I responded by saying that Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi gave their lives for the country. Who has given life from your side (saffron party)?”
Goyal said the Congress leader had no right to make such a statement as he did not remember history. He said Mallikarjun failed to recall what happened in Jammu and Kashmir, and how China took over 38,000 km of land from India when the Congress was at the helm.
As pandemonium continued in the House, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said the remarks were made outside Parliament. “The country’s 135 crore people are watching us. It is possible that someone got carried away and said something outside… you are not children,” he said.
Speaking outside the House, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said; ”We strongly condemn the statement made by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge in Rajasthan yesterday. It’s an Italian Congress which is running today. It is being said that he is a rubber stamp president.”
He said, ”Their mindset is like this only. They have said such type of things for Veer Savarkar and Smriti Irani also. I thought Mallikarjun Kharge has some common sense but it has been proven today that he doesn’t have it.”
Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said, ”I can’t believe that Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge could stoop so low and use such objectionable remarks. He should understand his responsibilities as a leader of a political party. We’re not enemies, we’re rivals. It’s distasteful, unfortunate, and uncalled for.”