NEW DELHI: Under fire for his ‘democracy in danger’ remarks in London, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the real question is whether he will be allowed to respond to the allegations raised against him by four BJP MPs in Parliament.
“It’s my democratic right to speak in Parliament. What you are seeing is a test of democracy. If Indian democracy is functioning, I would have been able to say my piece in Parliament,” he said at a press meet here after returning from London.
“After four BJP leaders made an allegation against a member of Parliament, will that member get the same space in the House or is he going to be told to shut up?” Rahul wondered. The BJP was quick in its pushback with party leader Ravi Shankar Prasad describing Rahul as a novice in foreign policy.
“Rahul should brush up his information about India’s foreign policy and strategic security before passing any comment on such serious subjects,” Prasad said. The BJP, he added, will continue to campaign against Rahul till he tenders his apology. The Congress, however, flatly rejected the demand.
Though Rahul attended the afternoon session of the Lok Sabha for the first time since the controversy broke out, the House was adjourned within minutes after protests. Parliament has been in turmoil over Rahul’s remarks in the UK ever since the second part of the Budget session began on Monday.
“I went to Parliament this morning with the idea of putting what I feel on the floor of the House... Within one minute of my coming to the House, they adjourned it,” he said. The Wayanad MP alleged that the government is running away from questions on the relationship between the PM and industrialist Gautam Adani, who has been accused of stock manipulation and fraud by Hindenburg Research. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said all opposition parties barring a few are together and believe that what Rahul said is right.
‘Speaker just smiled’
Rahul met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla with a request to allow him to speak in the House. “He only smiled, the Speaker was non-committal,” Rahul said
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