Jaipur : Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Tuesday slammed Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, for his remarks in the Parliament on Monday. Rajasthan CM said that the Congress leader not only lied but also insulted 125 crore Hindus.
"Yesterday in Parliament, Rahul Gandhi called Hindus 'violent', liars and hateful. He not only lied but also insulted 125 crore Hindus," Sharma told reporters here. "He failed for the third consecutive time. Congress tried to launch him again and again but you can see that he was unable to get launched. He has been rejected.
This was the first speech of Rahul Gandhi as the LoP and it was a speech full of lies, despair and baseless things. He did not say a word on the President's Address though the discussion was on the same. He only lied in Parliament. It doesn't suit the LoP to display the photo of a deity in the House and politicise it," he added.
Sharma accused the Congress of indulging in politics of appeasement. He alleged that Congress leaders had always taken a stand against the interests of Hindus. Meanwhile, several portions of the maiden speech of Rahul Gandhi as Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha targeting the central government over various issues, including minorities, the NEET row and the Agnipath scheme among others, have been expunged from the records of the Parliament on the orders of the Speaker.
The portions expunged include his comments on Hindus and PM Narendra Modi-BJP-RSS among others. Rahul Gandhi in his speech in Lok Sabha on Monday afternoon, during the debate on the motion of thanks on President Draupadi Murmu's address accused the BJP and RSS of preaching and spreading violence and hatred. His remarks drew protests from the Treasury benches.
The Bharatiya Janata Party - led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh among others stood up to express their protest and rebut the Congress MP's remarks.
The BJP leaders accused the Congress MP "of speaking lies, misleading the House and terming the entire Hindu community violent". The Congress hit back with counter-allegations against the Modi government.
Rahul Gandhi invoked Lord Shiva, Prophet Mohammad, Guru Nanak, Jesus Christ, Lord Budha and Lord Mahavir, saying that he had taken the idea of fearlessness from their teachings.
PM Modi slammed Rahul Gandhi during his speech. "Calling the entire Hindu community violent is a very serious matter," the Prime Minister said. Home Minister Amit Shah demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi.
While the BJP held a press conference later to denounce Rahul Gandhi's remarks, Congress also held an evening press conference to slam the ruling party at the Centre. Among the portions of Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha speech that got expunged were his accusations against the BJP, stating that the party was treating minorities unfairly and perpetrating violence.