Parliament Highlights: PM Modi Seeks Action Against LoP Rahul Gandhi, Kharge & Dhankhar Spar Over 'Varna' Remark

Parliament Session Day 7 Highlights: PM Modi launched a counterattack on LoP Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha and demanded strict action against him to protect parliamentary democracy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge in Parliament on Tuesday. (Photo: Sansad TV)

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 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched a fierce counterattack on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, mocking him as possessing a 'childish mind' and accusing him of linking Hindus with violence and making false claims in the Lok Sabha. In his nearly 135-minute reply to an 18-hour-long discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address in the Lower House, Modi demanded stringent action against Gandhi to protect parliamentary democracy.

Meanwhile, in the Upper House, LoP Mallikarjun Kharge and Rajya Sabha chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar continued to spar with Kharge accusing Dhankhar of attempting to introduce the Varna (caste) system. The Vice President was quick to condemn the assertion.

PM Modi's 'Balak Buddhi' Jibe At Rahul Gandhi, Demand For Action Against Lok Sabha LoP — Updates

• The Prime Minister accused the Congress of trying to spread anarchy through its economic policies, divisive politics around castes and regions, and by raising doubts about India's democratic process. "The House witnessed childish conduct yesterday," he said, referring to Gandhi's speech that targeted the government over the Agnipath scheme, the MSP regime, and the revamping work in Ayodhya. Many of Gandhi's comments were later expunged by the Chair.
  
  "Laments of 'balak buddhi' went on. 'I have been beaten.' A new drama was rolled out to gain sympathy," Modi said, referring to Gandhi's charges of being targeted in criminal cases at the central government's behest. "The fact is he is on bail in a corruption case of thousands of crore rupees, was convicted for calling an OBC community thief, and had to tender an apology before the Supreme Court for speaking lies," Modi added, noting that Gandhi faces several defamation cases. 
  
  
  "When seasoned leaders of the party choose this path of anarchy, it shows that the country is headed for trouble," Modi said, urging opposition parties to work with the government on issues of national interest while keeping the heat on Gandhi. Concluding his speech, Modi wished that God grant good sense to 'balak buddhi.' 
  
  
• Accusing Gandhi of tainting Parliament's decorum, Modi said, "Parliament was misled yesterday. Parliamentary democracy cannot be protected without taking the issue seriously." He urged Speaker Om Birla to take stringent action to stop the practice of lies. 
  
  "...We will not be able to protect parliamentary democracy without taking seriously what happened yesterday. We should not ignore these acts by calling them childish, by considering them childish, we should not ignore them at all and I am saying this because the intentions behind this are not good and I also want to awaken the countrymen," PM Modi remarked.
  

  #WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "...We will not be able to protect parliamentary democracy without taking seriously what happened yesterday. We should not ignore these acts by calling them childish, by considering them childish, we should not ignore them at all and I… pic.twitter.com/wQdSMk7avZ

  — ANI (@ANI) July 2, 2024

• Modi accused the Congress of spreading lies about the Agnipath scheme to discourage youngsters from joining the forces and weaken efforts to strengthen India's military. He highlighted his government's dedication to reform and modernise the defence sector and assured steps to prevent paper leaks, with arrests taking place across the country.
  
  
• Modi accused the Congress of behaving arrogantly, akin to parents encouraging a child who has fallen off a cycle. He termed the Congress a "parasitic party," claiming it fed off its partners' votes to boost its tally. "Instead of conceding defeat, the Congress is behaving arrogantly," he remarked.  "The Congress and its ecosystem are working day and night to impress upon people that the BJP-led NDA has been defeated in the elections despite voters handing us a historic third term for stability and continuity," Modi said. "I will tell Congress leaders not to suppress people's mandate under the garb of fake victory celebrations," he added, pointing out that the opposition party was behaving as if it had won 99 out of 100 seats, not the actual 543.
  
  
• Notably, PM Modi's speech was continuously interrupted by opposition members' slogan-shouting on the Manipur issue. The disruptions occurred as soon as the prime minister rose to speak, with opposition members urging the speaker to allow an MP from Manipur to speak. Speaker Birla responded that one of them had already been given an opportunity to speak. Despite this, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, along with two Manipur MPs, rushed to the Well of the House. Several Congress MPs later joined them, while TMC members stood in the aisles in support.

• The Lok Sabha passed a resolution on Tuesday condemning the Opposition's disruptions during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address, with Union Minister Rajnath Singh stating that these actions shredded parliamentary norms. The resolution was moved by Defence Minister Singh immediately after the prime minister's speech.

  "The manner in which the Opposition shredded parliamentary norms when the PM was speaking on the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address, I propose that the House condemns this action," Singh asserted.
  
  The resolution was seconded by Home Minister Amit Shah and subsequently passed by a voice vote.

• Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also admonished opposition leaders for their actions, noting that their behaviour was not in line with parliamentary norms. "I gave sufficient time to all members. I gave more than 90 minutes to the Leader of Opposition, but this behaviour is not in line with parliamentary norms," Birla remarked.

  Speaker Birla also rebuked Rahul Gandhi for encouraging opposition members to enter the well. Throughout the prime minister's address, opposition MPs raised slogans such as "we want justice for Manipur" and "jhooth bole kauwa kaate".

• Following PM Modi's speech, the Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die.

• Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha witnessed a fiery exchange on Tuesday, as Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar's sarcastic remark towards Congress MP Jairam Ramesh incited a sharp response from Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge. The incident unfolded during a session when Dhankhar, in a bid to discipline the Congress MP, suggested that Ramesh should take Kharge's seat.

  Dhankhar's comment came amidst his request for Pramod Tiwari of the Congress to refrain from stating unverified facts. In response, Ramesh assured that the information would be authenticated. Dhankhar then quipped, "The senior leadership (Kharge) is here. I think you (Ramesh) should replace (Kharge).... You are so intelligent, so gifted, so talented, you should immediately come and take the seat in place of Mr Kharge because, by and large, you are doing his job."

• This prompted a sharp retort from Kharge, who is also the president of the Congress, accusing Dhankhar of attempting to introduce the Varna (caste) system. "Do not bring in the Varna system...that is why you are calling Ramesh very intelligent... and I am dull," Kharge remarked.

  Jairam Ramesh and Kharge were both taken to the cleaners by Jagdeep Dhankhar ji 😹😂😹
  
  Great video to start the day ☠️ pic.twitter.com/9qxj0tIoPL

  — BALA (@erbmjha) July 2, 2024

• An agitated Dhankhar quickly countered Kharge's allegation, stating, "Never in the history of parliamentary democracy and Rajya Sabha proceedings there has been such a disregard of the chair, as from you... Time for you to reflect... Your dignity has been attacked multiple times... I have always tried to protect your dignity..." He emphasised that his remark was not meant to be interpreted as Kharge suggested.

  #WATCH | Delhi: Reacting to Congress MP Mallikarjun Kharge in Rajya Sabha, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar says, "... You cannot every time run down the chair. You cannot every time disrespect the chair... You stand suddenly and speak whatever you want without understanding what… pic.twitter.com/3JzyTlEBKQ

  — ANI (@ANI) July 2, 2024

  Kharge, standing firm, expressed that his position and achievements were due to the support of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and the people of India.

• Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, in a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, demanded the restoration of portions of his speech that were expunged from the House records, asserting that the removal of his remarks undermines the essence of parliamentary democracy. During his first address as the Leader of Opposition, he criticised the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for allegedly fostering communal divisions.

  In his letter to the Speaker, Gandhi pointed out the perceived inconsistency in the application of expunction rules, contrasting the extensive removal of his comments with the minimal expunction of BJP MP Anurag Thakur's speech, which he claimed was rife with allegations.

  Gandhi argued that the expunged remarks did not violate Rule 380 and were intended to reflect the "ground reality and the factual position." Emphasising the right to freedom of speech enshrined in Article 105(1) of the Constitution of India, Gandhi insisted that it is the duty of every member of the House to voice the concerns of the people they represent. "Taking off from records my considered remarks goes against the very tenets of parliamentary democracy," he stated.

• Notably, more than a dozen students were detained as they tried to march towards the Parliament on Tuesday to protest against alleged irregularities in recent competitive exams. The students from different outfits under the banner 'India against NTA' gathered at the Patel Chowk metro station in Delhi and began raising anti-NTA slogans, news agency PTI reported.
  
  With posters and banners carrying slogans like 'sack Union Education Minister' and 'NTA must go', the students staged a protest against the reported incidents of paper leak and corruption in the medical entrance exam, among others.
  
  The Delhi Police detained the students when they attempted to march towards the Parliament, as per PTI.