Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday when asked about the BJP's (Bhartiya Janta Party) charge that Rahul Gandhi sought interference from foreign countries, the Congress leader refuted the charge, calling it "absolute bunkum and nonsense," news agency PTI reported.
He argued in an interview with PTI that everything Gandhi said in the UK is public record because videos and transcripts are readily available. "He (Gandhi) is very clear, he said 'India's problems have to be solved internally through the electoral process, these are internal issues'. But he also said democracy in India is a public good and if India is democratic, not only India benefits but the world also benefits," stated Ramesh.
"This is a canard, an absolute lie that the BJP is propagating," he said of the BJP's charge of foreign intervention.
Whatever remarks are attributed to the former Congress chief, Ramesh asserts he never made them.
"The BJP has been distorting Mr Rahul Gandhi's remarks in order to divert attention over the last few days. Mr Modi's 3D orchestrated strategy is to distort, defame, and divert. Why divert when there is growing evidence of the establishment's complicity, including the Prime Minister, in Adani's massive scam involving crores and crores of rupees of public institutions such as LIC, SBI, and other financial institutions, and crores of crores of Indians suffering as a result of this cronyism?" Ramesh alleged.
'Gandhi Will Reply': Jairam On BJP MP Dubey's Demand To Expell Rahul From House
When asked about BJP MP Dubey's demand that Gandhi be expelled from the House for remarks he made in the United Kingdom, Ramesh said, "This is a form of intimidation. If they wish to make a motion to the Speaker, they may do so. Mr. Gandhi will respond." According to rule 357, Gandhi is entitled to a personal explanation in Parliament, according to Ramesh, citing the fact that in 2015, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad was granted a personal explanation in response to some remarks made against him by Jyotiraditya Scindia, who was then a member of the Congress.
"The microphones went off for almost 15 minutes yesterday, it was collective mute," he claimed.
When it comes to disruption rather than debate, Ramesh says the opposition has no say because it is not allowed to discuss issues such as Adani, China, or economic matters.
"One of the fundamental rules of parliamentary democracy is that the opposition must have a say while the government has the final say. We know we don't have the numbers in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, but we aren't even allowed to speak, and now efforts are being made to tarnish the Opposition's (image), claiming that the Opposition is to blame for the adjournments," he said.
Ramesh stated that the adjournments were forced by the Treasury benches, not the Opposition.
Gandhi claimed during his interactions in the UK that the structures of Indian democracy are under attack and that there is a "full-scale assault" on the country's institutions. He also told British parliamentarians in London that microphones in the Lok Sabha are frequently "turned off" when an opposition member raises important issues.
Gandhi's remarks sparked a political brawl, with the BJP accusing him of maligning India on foreign soil and seeking foreign intervention, and the Congress retaliating by citing instances of Modi bringing internal politics to the fore on foreign soil.
(With Inputs From PTI)