Kharge brings up Vajpayee after his remarks on Modi expunged
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday questioned Rajya Sabha chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar about why portions of his address to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were excluded from Parliament records. Defending his speech by claiming that it was not unparliamentary or accusatory against anyone, Kharge pulled up an incident involving the late PMs Atal Bihari Vajpayee and PV Narasimha Rao.
Why does this story matter?
This fresh controversy comes after Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's remarks in the Lok Sabha on the alleged ties between Gautam Adani and the Modi government were also expunged from records. The opposition has demanded a discussion on the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and State Bank of India's (SBI) over-exposure to the Adani Group, which has been accused of fraud and stock manipulation.
Vajpayee's remark on PM Rao still in record, claims Kharge
Kharge pointed out that the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee used a "word" against the then PM P V Narasimha Rao, but it is still in the Parliament records. "If you (Chairman) had any doubts, I would have clarified but my remarks were expunged," he questioned. "I don't think there was anything unparliamentary... But a few words were misconstrued," he added.
Wrong to say 'everything was removed': Dhankhar to Kharge
Chairman Dhankhar tried to placate the Congress President and said: "Chairman is the ultimate defender of the Leader of the Opposition." He also added that he made the move according to the laws of the House, and that it was unfit to make sweeping remarks that "everything was removed," according to the news outlet Deccan Herald.
Video of Kharge's address in Rajya Sabha
Kharge called PM Modi a 'Mauni Baba'
In response to PM Modi's silence on the issue, Kharge, on Wednesday called PM Modi a Mauni Baba (silent seer). "I want to ask the Prime Minister, why are you silent? You scare everyone; why can't you scare your ministers who are spreading hatred?" he asked. Dhankhar had interjected quickly and stated that it did not fit Kharge's "stature to deploy such language."
BJP trolls Kharge for wearing Louis Vuitton scarf
Meanwhile, the saffron brigade trolled the Congress President for speaking about poverty while wearing a reported Rs. 50,000 Louis Vuitton scarf. Furthermore, BJP lauded the PM for conveying a "green message" by wearing a jacket made of recycled plastic bottles. In response to the grand old party, BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad showed photos of Robert Vadra, husband Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, with Adani.
Rahul Gandhi's remarks on PM Modi, Adani expunged
The omission of Gandhi's remarks triggered a massive controversy on Wednesday in Parliament. "Why were my words expunged?" the Congress MP asked the media while heading into Parliament during Modi's address. Meanwhile, Opposition leaders submitted adjournment notices and demanded a discussion over the Adani Group and the India-China border problem.
BJP leaders move privilege motion against Gandhi
Pralhad Venkatesh Joshi, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister, requested that Gandhi's "baseless" remark be expunged entirely. Quoting Parliamentary laws, Joshi claimed that before passing allegations, an MP has to give Parliament a prior notice. Furthermore, BJP's Nishikant Dubey also gave Gandhi a privilege notice for "unverified, incriminatory, and defamatory" remarks against the PM. In response, Kharge questioned whether telling the truth was considered anti-national.
