NEW DELHI: Union minister Giriraj Singh on Tuesday stepped up his attack on opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee, alleging that they are behaving like "urban naxals" and showing disregard for rules and regulations.
He asserted that the country will function strictly according to the rule of law.
"Look, when the Leader of Opposition (Gandhi) himself is acting like an urban naxal, how can there be faith in the Constitution? Tomorrow they may even bring a no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha saying that this system will not work anymore, that one should simply barge in and become prime minister.
"This will not be allowed in the country. Whether it is Mamata Banerjee or anyone else, the country will run according to law and rules," Singh told reporters inside the Parliament complex.
Targeting the West Bengal chief minister, he said her government has failed to address key issues ailing the state.
"Her credibility is falling. Mamata Banerjee never speaks about unemployment in Bengal. She neither speaks about the rapes of women nor about (lack of) development there. Whenever she speaks, it is only about the Election Commission, the Lok Sabha or the Speaker. The money that has been looted for 15 years — the people will seek an account for every penny," he said.
Earlier in the day, Singh likened Gandhi to the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar. He alleged that Gandhi has been avoiding debate and voting in the House, and referred to discussions related to the West Asia conflict and the recent no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
"I do not understand. I have not seen such an LoP (leader of opposition).
"He has no vision and behaves like an urban naxal. As the LoP, you inform the House that you want a debate on certain issues and seek a vote on them. Why are you running away from them?" Singh said.
He claimed that as the LoP, Gandhi should inform the Lok Sabha if he wants a discussion or a vote on an issue instead of "staying away from the proceedings".
"He is the same for the Congress as the last Mughal emperor was for the Mughal dynasty -- a clueless last prince of a fake Gandhi family," the BJP leader said.
Replying to a question on TMC MP Kirti Azad's post on X criticising the act of taking a cricket trophy to a temple and commenting that India belongs to people of all religions, Singh said such gestures reflect the country's "sanatani" culture.
"I do not know who exactly did it. But India is connected to Sanatan traditions.
"If someone has done this, it is a matter of honour for the country. India's identity is linked to Sanatan traditions," he said.
A day earlier, Azad had criticised the act of taking the trophy to a temple in a post on X, saying the Indian cricket team represents people of all religions and the victory belongs to the entire country.
"Shame on Team India... The trophy belongs to 1.4 billion Indians of every faith — not one religion's victory lap," he said.