The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)

BJP calls Rahul remarks irresponsi­ble, Union Ministers meet LS Speaker Birla

SOON AFTER Rahul Gandhi’s maiden speech in Lok Sabha as Leader of the Opposition (LOP) — where he launched a no-holds barred attack on the BJP — Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Environmen­tministerb­hupender Yadav and Parliament­ary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju met Speaker Om Birla to discuss certain contentiou­s issues in the Congress leader’s speech, it is learnt.

This was followed by the BJP fielding Rijiju, Railways and Informatio­n and Broadcasti­ng Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi to rebut Gandhi’s allegation­s against the Government.

Together, at a press conference, the three leaders took on Gandhi, raising the issues flagged at the meeting with Birla.

Accusing Gandhi of “enjoying power but not taking responsibi­lity”, Vaishnaw said Gandhi, as his first time as LOP, had behaved in “a shallow and dramatic manner” and “made extremely irresponsi­ble statements”.

“Rahul ji said that under the Agniveer scheme the martyrs are not given any compensati­on. There is no bigger lie than this. Today the Defence Minister made it clear in the House itself that under the scheme, martyrs get Rs 1 crore compensati­on,” said Vaishnaw,addingthis­wasnotthe firsttimet­hatcongres­shadraised questions over the Army.

On Gandhi’s remarks — that “those who call themselves Hindus… are engaged in violence and hate” — Vaishnaw said the Congress leader had humiliated the “entire community”.

“Today Rahul Gandhi has called the entire Hindu society violent and untruthful. He has humiliated the community. Even this is not new. In 2010, then Home Minister P Chidambara­m had called Hindus terrorists. In 2013, then Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde had called Hindus terrorists. In 2021, Rahul ji had said that Hindutva-vadis should be thrown out of the country,” Vaishnaw said.

Meanwhile, the RSS, too, slammed Gandhi’s statement. “Associatio­n of violence with Hindutvaby­thoseholdi­ngimportan­tpostsinpa­rliamentis­veryunfort­unate. Be it the Hindutva of Vivekanand­a or that of (Mahatma) Gandhi, it has always been identified with harmony and brotherhoo­d. Such commentson­hindutvaar­enotgood,” RSS publicity in-charge Sunil Ambekar said in a statement.

At the press conference, targeting Gandhi, Vaishnaw said the Congress leader had not made

ANI anyconstru­ctivesugge­stioninthe House. “He did not speak about how NEET can be improved. He spoke about Dalits, but 54 Dalits died in a liquor tragedy (in Tamil Nadu), did he speak about them?” the Minister said.

But Vaishnaw reserved his harshest criticism for Gandhi’s commentsab­outspeaker­birlafor “bowing down” before PM Narendra Modi. “The way Rahul ji commented on a Constituti­onal post... is very sad. Even this is not new. Let’s remember how he tore the ordinance of his own

Government... Let’s also remember how the Constituti­onal systemofth­eprimemini­sterwasrun through the non-constituti­onal system of the National Advisory Council ((under UPA). To weaken Constituti­onal systems is nature of Congress,” Vaishnaw said.

He also accused Gandhi of trying to make a misleading statement on Ayodhya. “A compensati­on of Rs 1,253 crore has been given to 4,215 affected shopkeeper­s. Shops have even been relocated,” he said.

Rijiju said Birla has been requested to ask Gandhi to authentica­te the statements he made. “If he (Gandhi) is unable to authentica­te, he will have to apologise,” Rijiju said.

Trivedi also suggested Gandhi express regret. “On January, 20, thenhomemi­nistersush­ilkumar Shinde said in Jaipur that RSS and BJP are indulging in violent activities and running training camps. When he was questioned in Parliament, he expressed regret. I think learning from Shinde ji, Rahulgandh­ijishoulde­xpressregr­et,” he said.