NEW DELHI: Kiren Rijiju on Thursday alleged that Rahul Gandhi is being influenced by his activist advisers and speaks in Parliament along lines suggested by them. He also questioned the Leader of the Opposition’s choice of attire, remarking that wearing a T-shirt in the House was inappropriate.
Speaking at an event, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister said he found it easier to engage with those who make substantive contributions during parliamentary interventions.
"Personally, I have no problem with Rahul Gandhi.
We meet, we exchange notes outside (and) in the (meeting) room as he is the leader of opposition.
That's ok.
No problems.
But when you are formally speaking on the floor of the House, then you must follow the conventions, rules and etiquette.
These are very important parts of parliamentary democracy.
"But Rahul Gandhi's mind is hijacked by his activist advisors.
He says whatever his advisors tell him to," he said.
When the BJP was in opposition, it followed certain standards and staged protests strongly but did not cross limits, he asserted.
Asked about Gandhi's regular appearance in Parliament in casual attire, the minister said as the leader of opposition (LoP), one must conduct himself appropriately, "and dressing is a part of that".
"He has problems in understanding rules and etiquette.
When you are the LoP, you have to conduct yourself in a certain manner.
Decent dressing is also part of it," the minister said.
Rijiju said veteran communist leader Somnath Chatterjee used to wear a loose shirt and sandals before becoming the Lok Sabha speaker.
"But when he was elected as speaker, he started coming quite decently so that he looked good in the Chair.
Similarly, the LoP is the leader of the entire opposition and hence should dress in a certain way which carries the image of the position he holds.
"I may not respect the person, but I have to respect the Chair.
That is why many people think that he (Gandhi) could have conducted himself in a better way, including a better dressing sense.
I am not objecting to T-shirt but it does not look nice," he added.
The minister said Gandhi's politics seems driven by contradictions, opposing every achievement and questioning every success of the government.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decisive leadership, work for the poor and India's rising global stature speak for themselves.
In democracy, criticism matters, but credibility matters more," he said.
Asked about Wednesday's all-party meeting on the West Asia crisis, Rijiju said that despite sharp differences in public discourse, the meeting reflected maturity.
"Opposition leaders raised concerns, the government addressed them and there was a shared understanding to stand united in this challenging situation affecting India's interests and economy.
Everyone participated, except TMC," he said.
The Union minister said the government believes in dialogue and collective responsibility and that he consistently engages with the opposition.
"To address concerns already raised in Parliament, an all-party meeting was convened.
All parties attended, except TMC, which chose to stay away.
That approach is disappointing," he said.
In a volatile global environment, Rijiju said, India remains stable, respected and prepared.
"From maintaining strong ties across regions to ensuring safe passage and economic stability, India has shown maturity and strength.
Under Prime Minister Modi, India stands firm and independent," he said.
(With inputs from PTI)