Congressman Rahul Gandhi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, engaged in a contentious exchange during the most recent session of Parliament. Gandhi, the recently anointed Leader of the Opposition (LoP), was accused by the BJP of derogating Hindus in his vehement speech. Later on, some of his remarks were removed from the official documents.
Rahul Gandhi’s Fiery Speech
With a copy of the Constitution in hand and pictures of holy characters like Lord Shiva, Rahul Gandhi took aim at the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the party’s ideological parent. He declared them to be false Hindus and charged them with sustaining violence against minorities. Gandhi proclaimed, “Aap Hindu ho nahin… (you are not Hindu),” which incited a boisterous reaction from the BJP.
The main theme of Gandhi’s address was the “full-scale and systematic assault on the idea of India, the Constitution, and those who defend it.” He brought up the imprisonment of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal due to the liquor policy issue, citing instances of opposition politicians being singled out for personal attacks and mentioning several who remained behind bars.
Prime Minister Modi’s Rebuttal
Prime Minister Modi stood up twice in response to Gandhi’s statements. He underlined Gandhi’s point that “calling the entire Hindu society violent is a serious issue.” In his second statement, Modi elicited jeers from the opposition, pointing out that the Constitution had taught him to respect Gandhi’s position as Leader of the Opposition.
Speaker Om Birla chastised Gandhi for using pictures of Guru Nanak Dev in his speech. Gandhi emphasised the similarities across religious symbols. For example, he noted that the abhaya mudra, or right hand pointing outward, symbolises safety and bravery in a number of religions, including Buddhism, Sikhism, Islam, Hinduism, and Sikhism.
Amit Shah’s Response
Following Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah led the charge in replying to Gandhi. Shah insisted that it is incorrect to associate violence with any faith and called for Gandhi to issue an apology. He criticised the Congress by bringing up the Emergency declared by the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
“Hindus talk of violence, according to the Leader of the Opposition. “He is ignorant of the fact that millions of Hindus proudly identify as Hindus. It is incorrect to associate violence with any religion,” said Shah.
RSS’s Reaction
The RSS reacted to Gandhi’s comments as well. The Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh of the group, Sunil Ambekar, said, “It is regrettable that individuals in significant positions in Parliament are linking Hindutva to violence. Hindutva is a sign of peace and fraternity, regardless of Vivekananda or Gandhi.”
BJP Chief JP Nadda’s Criticism
Gandhi was the target of several social media assaults from BJP President JP Nadda, who accused Gandhi of lying and having animosity for Hindus. Nadda attacked Gandhi’s remarks, claiming it demonstrated faulty reasoning as well as a lack of knowledge of politeness and parliamentary procedures.
“Worst show on opening day! Lying plus hate for Hindus equals Rahul Gandhi Ji in Parliament. LoP, a three-time failure, has a talent for irrational, faulty reasoning. His remarks today demonstrated that he lacks humility and does not comprehend the mandate of 2024—his third consecutive defeat,” Nadda wrote.
Rajya Sabha Rumble
There was mayhem outside the Lok Sabha as well. There were also tense discussions in the Rajya Sabha, with Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge taking the lead. A number of problems, including the relocating of national leaders’ sculptures within the Parliament building and purported flaws in the NEET medical entrance tests, caused opposition leaders and BJP members to clash.
Kharge’s accusations coincided with the Congress and other opposition parties’ repeated grievances that they are unable to question the government or speak during Parliamentary sessions.
Results
The intense political division between the Congress and the BJP was brought to light during the Parliamentary session. Rahul Gandhi’s combative style has already caused a great deal of controversy and resentment as he assumes the position of Leader of the Opposition. The BJP’s forceful reaction highlights how divisive modern Indian politics are.
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