News Analysis India

Tag: Rahul Gandhi in UK

  • Lok Sabha adjourned yet again over Rahul Gandhi’s democracy remark

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day on Wednesday amid slogan shouting by opposition and treasury benches over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s “democracy under attack” remark made in the UK.

    As soon as the house assembled, opposition members stormed into the well holding placards and shouting slogans.

    They demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the alleged stock manipulation by the Adani Group.

    Members of the treasury benches also raised counter slogans, demanding an apology from Gandhi for his remarks made during an event in the UK.

    Gandhi had alleged that the structures of Indian democracy are under attack and there is a “full-scale assault” on the country’s institutions.

    The remarks have triggered a political slugfest.

    ALSO READ | No question of apology: Kharge on BJP demand over Rahul’s remarks in UK

    The BJP has accused Gandhi of maligning India on foreign soil and seeking foreign interventions, while the Congress has hit back at the ruling party by citing instances of Prime Minister Narendra Modi raising internal politics abroad.

    House proceedings have remained disrupted since resuming for the second leg of the budget session on Monday.

    On Wednesday, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla repeatedly urged the members to return to their seats and allow the house to run.

    “This house is meant for holding discussions and dialogues. Let’s talk about policy and a have good discussion on issues related to public welfare. If we want people’s welfare and consider this house a temple of democracy, I will request that at least don’t comment on this house,” Birla said.

    “It is not right to comment, either inside (the house) or outside. Talk about issues and policy here. It is not right to bring placards like this here. I am warning. This is wrong,” he said.

    The Speaker’s remarks came against the backdrop of Gandhi’s allegations that Opposition is not allowed to speak in the house and their microphones are turned off.

    “Placards and sloganeering is never allowed in the house. Go back to your seats. I will give you adequate time to speak,” Birla said.

    READ MORE | ‘Well-orchestrated’ personal attack based on ‘lies’: Sam Pitroda on criticism of Rahul’s remarks in UK

    Rising from his seat, Union minister Piyush Goyal urged the speaker to suspend the members from the proceedings if they do not allow the house to run smoothly and if Gandhi does not apologise for his remarks. “It is a very serious issue. Strictest action should be taken against this. The way a member of the house insults India’s Parliament going abroad. Until he doesn’t apologise and if they do not feel there was an insult and continue with such kind of behaviour, they should be suspended from the proceedings of the house,” Goyal said.

    The Speaker asked the agitating Opposition members if their behaviour in the house was appropriate.

    “This (India) is the world’s biggest democracy. What message do you want to send out. Is such conduct of members appropriate?. Please go back to your seats” Birla said.

    “You have the right to raise slogans with placards in hand outside the house in democracy,” he added As the members refused to relent, the speaker initially adjourned the house till 2 pm.

    READ MORE | Adani row: Opposition MPs call off protest march after Delhi police blockade

    When the house resumed, the sloganeering continued even as Bhartruhari Mahtab, who was in the chair, kept requesting for order.

    “It is not the sole responsibility of the chair to maintain order in this house. It is the responsibility of every member,” Mahtab said.

    He also said that while papers were allowed in the house, placards weren’t.

    Amid the ruckus, The Inter-Services (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill, 2023 was introduced in the house by Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt.

    Slogans such as “Rahul Gandhi sadan me aao (Rahul Gandhi come to Parliament)” were raised as Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi sought an apology from Gandhi.

    Joshi said instead of apologising, the Congress party was bringing placards to the house.

    “I am getting calls from the diaspora that Rahul Gandhi insulted the country. He has spoken against the speaker. He has levelled allegations against institutions. India is a sovereign country and asking other countries to intervene is an insult,” he said.

    Seconds after the statement made by the minister, the chair adjourned the house for the day.

    NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day on Wednesday amid slogan shouting by opposition and treasury benches over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s “democracy under attack” remark made in the UK.

    As soon as the house assembled, opposition members stormed into the well holding placards and shouting slogans.

    They demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the alleged stock manipulation by the Adani Group.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Members of the treasury benches also raised counter slogans, demanding an apology from Gandhi for his remarks made during an event in the UK.

    Gandhi had alleged that the structures of Indian democracy are under attack and there is a “full-scale assault” on the country’s institutions.

    The remarks have triggered a political slugfest.

    ALSO READ | No question of apology: Kharge on BJP demand over Rahul’s remarks in UK

    The BJP has accused Gandhi of maligning India on foreign soil and seeking foreign interventions, while the Congress has hit back at the ruling party by citing instances of Prime Minister Narendra Modi raising internal politics abroad.

    House proceedings have remained disrupted since resuming for the second leg of the budget session on Monday.

    On Wednesday, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla repeatedly urged the members to return to their seats and allow the house to run.

    “This house is meant for holding discussions and dialogues. Let’s talk about policy and a have good discussion on issues related to public welfare. If we want people’s welfare and consider this house a temple of democracy, I will request that at least don’t comment on this house,” Birla said.

    “It is not right to comment, either inside (the house) or outside. Talk about issues and policy here. It is not right to bring placards like this here. I am warning. This is wrong,” he said.

    The Speaker’s remarks came against the backdrop of Gandhi’s allegations that Opposition is not allowed to speak in the house and their microphones are turned off.

    “Placards and sloganeering is never allowed in the house. Go back to your seats. I will give you adequate time to speak,” Birla said.

    READ MORE | ‘Well-orchestrated’ personal attack based on ‘lies’: Sam Pitroda on criticism of Rahul’s remarks in UK

    Rising from his seat, Union minister Piyush Goyal urged the speaker to suspend the members from the proceedings if they do not allow the house to run smoothly and if Gandhi does not apologise for his remarks. “It is a very serious issue. Strictest action should be taken against this. The way a member of the house insults India’s Parliament going abroad. Until he doesn’t apologise and if they do not feel there was an insult and continue with such kind of behaviour, they should be suspended from the proceedings of the house,” Goyal said.

    The Speaker asked the agitating Opposition members if their behaviour in the house was appropriate.

    “This (India) is the world’s biggest democracy. What message do you want to send out. Is such conduct of members appropriate?. Please go back to your seats” Birla said.

    “You have the right to raise slogans with placards in hand outside the house in democracy,” he added As the members refused to relent, the speaker initially adjourned the house till 2 pm.

    READ MORE | Adani row: Opposition MPs call off protest march after Delhi police blockade

    When the house resumed, the sloganeering continued even as Bhartruhari Mahtab, who was in the chair, kept requesting for order.

    “It is not the sole responsibility of the chair to maintain order in this house. It is the responsibility of every member,” Mahtab said.

    He also said that while papers were allowed in the house, placards weren’t.

    Amid the ruckus, The Inter-Services (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill, 2023 was introduced in the house by Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt.

    Slogans such as “Rahul Gandhi sadan me aao (Rahul Gandhi come to Parliament)” were raised as Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi sought an apology from Gandhi.

    Joshi said instead of apologising, the Congress party was bringing placards to the house.

    “I am getting calls from the diaspora that Rahul Gandhi insulted the country. He has spoken against the speaker. He has levelled allegations against institutions. India is a sovereign country and asking other countries to intervene is an insult,” he said.

    Seconds after the statement made by the minister, the chair adjourned the house for the day.

  • ‘Those who criticize India abroad today…’: UP CM Yogi hits out at Rahul

    By ANI

    G: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday made a veiled attack on Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in response to his statement made in London.

    CM Yogi said that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making the country famous in the world, some people are trying to defame the country.

    Addressing a seminar here, Chief Minister said, “While under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi India’s dominance on global platforms is growing, some people are criticizing India on foreign soil. The people criticising Indian democracy today are the same people who left no stone unturned to strangle democracy itself when they were given a chance.”

    The Chief Minister said that these people criticise the country when they are abroad, but when they are home, they criticise Uttar Pradesh.

    CM Yogi added that such people who wish to weaken the strong democracy of the country and whose family’s legacy has been that of the politics of divide and rule should be recognised and must not be allowed to succeed in their evil designs.

    He added that in the times to come, India will be the country to show the way to the world.

    CM Yogi said that getting the leadership of the G20 shows India’s potential, pointing out that the country’s global dominance is growing.

    “Whether it is Afghanistan or the Russia-Ukraine war, the initiative of PM Modi is awaited everywhere. Prime Ministers of Italy and Australia visited India recently whereas the Japanese PM is going to visit India soon. All these present a new picture of the country,” the Chief Minister said.

    “In the last nine years, India under the leadership of PM Modi, has taken a giant leap in almost every sphere of life. There has been a massive positive change in every field from farming to innovation. Income of people has increased many fold and space travel is also being done through private satellite,” he asserted.

    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had said it is the duty of every Indian living around the world to protect democracy”.

    The Congress MP, who was on a visit to the UK, criticised the Centre alleging that an attack has been unleashed on the basic structure of Indian democracy.

    Rahul Gandhi in an interaction at the Chatham House in London termed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) a “fundamentalist” and “fascist” organisation alleging that it has captured pretty much all of India’s institutions.

    He said, “The nature of democratic contest in India has completely changed and the reason is that one organisation called RSS – a fundamentalist, fascist organisation has basically captured pretty much all of India’s institutions.”

    Rahul Gandhi further said Europe and the US are not doing enough to restore democracy in India as they are getting trade and money from the country. “Why Europe and the US – the defenders of democracies — were oblivious of how a huge chunk of democracy in India has come undone?” he questioned.

    The Congress leader also mentioned how the various institutions in the country were under threat. “It shocked me how successful they have been at capturing the different institutions of our country. Press, Judiciary, Parliament, and Election Commission are all under threat and are controlled in one way or the other,” Rahul Gandhi said.

    “You can ask any Opposition leader as to how agencies are used. My phone had Pegasus on it, which was not happening when we were in power,” he added.

    The Congress MP highlighted the condition of the Dalits and minorities in India. He said, “In India, you can see what is being done to Dalits, tribals, and minorities. It is not that Congress is saying it. There are articles in the foreign press all the time that there is a serious problem with Indian democracy.”

    G: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday made a veiled attack on Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in response to his statement made in London.

    CM Yogi said that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making the country famous in the world, some people are trying to defame the country.

    Addressing a seminar here, Chief Minister said, “While under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi India’s dominance on global platforms is growing, some people are criticizing India on foreign soil. The people criticising Indian democracy today are the same people who left no stone unturned to strangle democracy itself when they were given a chance.”googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The Chief Minister said that these people criticise the country when they are abroad, but when they are home, they criticise Uttar Pradesh.

    CM Yogi added that such people who wish to weaken the strong democracy of the country and whose family’s legacy has been that of the politics of divide and rule should be recognised and must not be allowed to succeed in their evil designs.

    He added that in the times to come, India will be the country to show the way to the world.

    CM Yogi said that getting the leadership of the G20 shows India’s potential, pointing out that the country’s global dominance is growing.

    “Whether it is Afghanistan or the Russia-Ukraine war, the initiative of PM Modi is awaited everywhere. Prime Ministers of Italy and Australia visited India recently whereas the Japanese PM is going to visit India soon. All these present a new picture of the country,” the Chief Minister said.

    “In the last nine years, India under the leadership of PM Modi, has taken a giant leap in almost every sphere of life. There has been a massive positive change in every field from farming to innovation. Income of people has increased many fold and space travel is also being done through private satellite,” he asserted.

    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had said it is the duty of every Indian living around the world to protect democracy”.

    The Congress MP, who was on a visit to the UK, criticised the Centre alleging that an attack has been unleashed on the basic structure of Indian democracy.

    Rahul Gandhi in an interaction at the Chatham House in London termed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) a “fundamentalist” and “fascist” organisation alleging that it has captured pretty much all of India’s institutions.

    He said, “The nature of democratic contest in India has completely changed and the reason is that one organisation called RSS – a fundamentalist, fascist organisation has basically captured pretty much all of India’s institutions.”

    Rahul Gandhi further said Europe and the US are not doing enough to restore democracy in India as they are getting trade and money from the country. “Why Europe and the US – the defenders of democracies — were oblivious of how a huge chunk of democracy in India has come undone?” he questioned.

    The Congress leader also mentioned how the various institutions in the country were under threat. “It shocked me how successful they have been at capturing the different institutions of our country. Press, Judiciary, Parliament, and Election Commission are all under threat and are controlled in one way or the other,” Rahul Gandhi said.

    “You can ask any Opposition leader as to how agencies are used. My phone had Pegasus on it, which was not happening when we were in power,” he added.

    The Congress MP highlighted the condition of the Dalits and minorities in India. He said, “In India, you can see what is being done to Dalits, tribals, and minorities. It is not that Congress is saying it. There are articles in the foreign press all the time that there is a serious problem with Indian democracy.”