Day one of the second phase of the Budget Session witnessed a ruckus leading to adjournment of the Rajya Sabha till 2 pm as the government cornered the Congress seeking an apology from its leader Rahul Gandhi over his recent remarks in London on democracy in India.
Leader of House in the Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal in Rajya Sabha raised the issue soon after the papers were laid on the table, saying one of the leaders from the Opposition party spoke against India’s judiciary, Army, and the media. Goyal termed the statement made during Gandhi’s UK visit a murder of India’s democracy, and demanded that the leader (Rahul Gandhi) should apolgoise in Parliament.
“It is unfortunate that from the soil of London, questions are being raised on Indian democracy,” Goyal said.
Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said that “it is wrong to comment on someone who is not a member of this house.”
Meanwhile, members of both treasury and Opposition benches raised slogans leading the Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar to declare adjournment of the Upper House of Parliament till 2 pm amid the din.
Gandhi’s comments at his alma mater Cambridge University — that Indian democracy is under attack and several politicians, including himself, are under surveillance — have become the latest flashpoint between the Congress and the BJP. The BJP has accused him of “defaming” the country abroad after repeated electoral defeats.
Gandhi hit back, alleging that it is the Prime Minister who discredited the country’s achievements since its Independence.