It was reinstated MP Rahul Gandhi’s turn today to talk in support of the No-Confidence Motion moved by his party and allies against the ruling government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party under Prime Minister Modi.
Rahul Gandhi began his speech by “assuring” the members that he would not talk about Adani (however does a U-turn later) and spoke about how the Bharat Jodo Yatra dissolved his “ahankaar” (ego).
Rahul Gandhi claimed that he had been waking up to criticism and derogatory comments on a daily basis for the past 9 years. He said he felt curious to understand the reasons behind this treatment and thus intended to find the answer through his Bharat Jodo Yatra which he claimed was not over yet.
He raised the topic of Manipur, stating that for the Prime Minister, it was not a part of India, and questioned the Prime Minister’s absence from the region.
Then Rahul Gandhi started making controversial statements. He alleged that “Hindustan ko murder kiya hai” (India has been murdered) and accused the centre of being responsible for committing “Bharat mata ki hatya” (murder of Mother India) in Manipur. He used strong language to label the ruling government as “deshdrohi” (traitors) and “Bharat mata ke hatyare” (killers of Mother India).
#WATCH | Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says, "Bharat ek awaaz hai, Bharat hamari janta ki awaaz hai, dil ki awaaz hai. Uss awaaz ki hatya aapne Manipur mein ki. Iska matlab Bharat Mata ki hatya aapne Manipur mein ki…You killed India by killing the people of Manipur. You are a… pic.twitter.com/eroj209SKY
— ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2023
In response to these derogatory statements, the members of the House raised their voices and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Om Birla intervened. He said that Bharat Ma is our Mother and you must not speak like that, to Rahul Gandhi. To this, Rahul Gandhi replied saying, “Yes I am speaking about the murder of Bharat Ma. You have killed my mother. One mother of mine is sitting here, the other mother, you killed in Manipur.”
He talked about Ramayana and said Ravana used to listen to only two people, Meghnad and Kumbhakarna. He accused the Prime Minister Modi of not listening to the people of the country or the people of Manipur but instead claimed that PM Modi would only listen to two people – Amit Shah and Adani. He went on to compare the burning of Lanka with the “burning of Manipur & India”. He said Lanka was not burnt down by Hanuman, it was burnt by the ego of Ravana. Similarly, here the same thing is happening. Modi is burning the whole country and you are committing the murder of Bharat Mata.
In response, Union Minister and BJP MP Smriti Irani rebuked Gandhi’s claims. She thundered, “You are not India, for India is not corrupt. India believes in merit not in dynasty & today of all the days people like you need to remember what was told to the British – Quit India. Corruption Quit India, Dynasty Quit India. Merit now finds a place in India…”
#WATCH | Union Minister and BJP MP Smriti Irani says, "You are not India, for India is not corrupt. India believes in merit not in dynasty & today of all the days people like you need to remember what was told to the British – Quit India. Corruption Quit India, Dynasty Quit… pic.twitter.com/dflui75mCN
— ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2023
Irani cited examples of gut-wrenching events such as Girija Tikkoo’s rape and murder as well that of Sheela Bhat and cited a few examples from the 1984 Sikh riots where people have suffered under the Congress and questioned the sincerity of Congress in addressing such matters.
She also said, “In the history of the Parliament, no one has ever slammed/patted the desks when someone spoke of the murder of Bharat Mata. However, today, Congress members have patted/slammed the desks when he spoke of the murder of Bharat Mata”
#WATCH | Union Minister and BJP MP Smriti Irani says, "Bharat maa ki hatya ki baat karne wale kabhi bhi mez nahi thapthapate. Congressiyo ne baith kar maa ki hatya ke liye mez thapthapaai hai…" https://t.co/Nay92GDe4k pic.twitter.com/uAPE2YQIRN
— ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2023
Coming to the claim that Rahul Gandhi made, that for Prime Minister Modi, Manipur is not a part of India, Irani quoted EV Velu who is an alliance partner of the Congress. EV Velu had said that for Tamilians, India was a country in the north. She questioned Gandhi whether he had the guts to confront his alliance partner for these statements.
DMK Minister Thiru EV Velu expressing what they stood for. This is the true face of parties in the I.N.D.I. Alliance.
Once a separatist, always a separatist. pic.twitter.com/BC0V52inkQ
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) August 7, 2023
Irani also mentioned a point about Article 370 and said “…It was mentioned in the House today that he (Rahul Gandhi) undertook a Yatra and gave assurance that they will reinstate Article 370 if it is up to them…I would like to tell the person who has run away from the House that neither will Article 370 be reinstated in the country nor will those who threaten Kashmiri Pandits with “Ralib Galib Chalib” be spared.”
#WATCH | Union Minister and BJP MP Smriti Irani says, "…It was mentioned in the House today that he (Rahul Gandhi) undertook a Yatra and gave assurance that they will reinstate Article 370 if it is upto them…I would like to tell the person who has run away from the House that… https://t.co/amWTLGBhF6 pic.twitter.com/W9FLRxqKmn
— ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2023
She even asserted that her party was ready for discussions on the Manipur issue and even invited the other members of the House for a discussion. She said, “Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah & Defence Minister Rajnath Singh repeatedly said that the government is ready to debate on the Manipur issue. The opposition ran away from it, we did not…”
#WATCH | Union Minister and BJP MP Smriti Irani says, "Parliamentary Affairs minsiter Pralhad Joshi, Union Home Minsiter Amit Shah & Defence Minsiter Rajnath Singh repeatedly said that the government is ready to debate on the Manipur issue. The opposition ran away from it, we did… pic.twitter.com/Dov5gUE6TN
— ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2023
As she concluded, she alleged that Rahul Gandhi blew a flying kiss as he was exiting the Lok Sabha after his speech. She said, “I object to something. The one who was given the chance to speak before me displayed indecency before leaving. It is only a misogynistic man who can give a flying kiss to a Parliament which seats female members of Parliament. Such undignified conduct was never before seen in the Parliament of the country…”
#WATCH | Union Minister and BJP MP Smriti Irani says, "I object to something. The one who was given the chance to speak before me displayed indecency before leaving. It is only a misogynistic man who can give a flying kiss to a Parliament which seats female members of Parliament.… pic.twitter.com/xjEePHKPKN
— ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2023
Serial offender Rahul Gandhi’s visual evidence
After winking now FLYING KISS video
Who gives flying kiss inside Parliament that seats women MPs on a day of such a serious discussion
Disgusting https://t.co/dFmenIFbw5 pic.twitter.com/oM0nywroOS
— Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) August 9, 2023
Union minister Shobha Karandlaje and other women BJP MPs complained to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla against Rahul Gandhi’s alleged act of blowing a flying kiss inside Lok Sabha and accused him of insulting women MPs.
PHOTO | Union minister Shobha Karandlaje, other women BJP MPs complain to Speaker Om Birla against Rahul Gandhi blowing flying kiss inside Lok Sabha, accuse him of insulting women MPs. pic.twitter.com/qQLajSJrbc
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 9, 2023
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