Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is expected to attend the Parliament today amid the controversy over his remarks on the Indian democracy in the UK.
The Wayanad MP's appearance comes as both houses of the Parliament were adjourned for three consecutive days amid sloganeering by the ruling BJP and opposition lawmakers. Rahul is also expected to address the media as the impasse between the opposition and government is unlikely to end.
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.
The opposition is also continuing to press the Union government in their demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the alleged stock manipulation by the Adani Group.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju claimed that "Rahul insulted India's democracy and judiciary" and asserted that the Congress leader must apologise for his remarks made in the UK. "If Rahul Gandhi says something and Congress gets into trouble because of that, we have nothing to do with it. But if he defames our country, then as the citizens of this country, we can’t be quiet," he said.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge criticised the government of disrupting parliamentary proceedings and ignoring the demand for a JPC probe. He also asserted that there is no question of an apology over Rahul Gandhi's remarks in the UK and that those demanding so must answer on Prime Minister Narendra Modi "humiliating" the people of the country with his comments abroad.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury called the ruling party's attack on Rahul Gandhi a "conspiracy to spoil Rahul's image" ahead of the Karnataka assembly elections which are slated for later in the year. "If Modi govt has the courage, then it should give permission to hold a debate in Parliament on RG's speech. We will prove who is against the country. It's not Rahul Gandhi, but this Modi govt," Chowdhury said.
Gandhi had recently alleged in London that the "structures of Indian democracy are under brutal attack" and there is a full-scale assault on the institutions of the country. The former Congress president also told British parliamentarians in London that microphones are often "turned off" in the Lok Sabha when an opposition member raises important issues.
(With inputs from PTI, ANI)