NEW DELHI – Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi took a swipe at the ruling BJP in the Lok Sabha on Monday, saying those who call themselves Hindus are engaged in “violence and hate” round the clock, drawing massive protests from the members of the treasury benches, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserting that calling the entire Hindu society violent is a serious matter.
His remarks came during a discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the president’s address to a joint sitting of Parliament, reported Vartha Bharati.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi intervened during Gandhi’s speech, stating that calling the entire Hindu society violent is a serious issue. Gandhi retorted, saying “the BJP and the RSS are not the entire Hindu society”.
The Congress leader further emphasised that all religions talk about courage, citing Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism to underline the importance of fearlessness.
He accused the BJP of launching systematic attacks on the Constitution and the fundamental idea of India, noting that millions of people have resisted the ideas proposed by the ruling party.
“I was attacked on the orders of Prime Minister Modi. There were 20-plus cases (against me), (my) house was taken away, 55 hours of interrogation by the ED,” Gandhi said.
Despite these challenges, the MP from Rae Bareli expressed pride in the collective effort to protect the Constitution.
“It feels nice that BJP people are now repeating ‘Jai samvidhan’ after me,” he said.
Gandhi also expressed his contentment at being in the opposition.
“I am happy and proud to be in the opposition. For us, there is something more than power, it is the truth,” he said.
During his speech, Gandhi showed a picture of Lord Shiva, which prompted Speaker Om Birla to remind him that rules do not allow displaying placards in the House.
Gandhi reiterated that all religions, including Islam and Sikhism, emphasise courage and the importance of being fearless.