Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday hit out at the Centre over the BJP’s criticism of Rahul Gandhi’s remarks in the UK and the Adani issue. He said that “this is the end of democracy.”
On Monday, an argument broke out in the Rajya Sabha after Leader of Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal in his speech slammed Rahul Gandhi for his recent remarks in London.
Goyal alleged that one Opposition leader tried to show the country in a poor light while traveling abroad.
Responding to the statement, Kharge said, “If we talk about democracy in any college, we are called anti-nationals. In Korea, Modi said, whatever happened in this country in 70 years — the industrialists who grew, the investments that happened — he condemned them. In Canada, he said that he is cleaning the mess that has been spread.”
Kharge claimed that being a Leader of the Opposition, he was not allowed to speak in the Rajya Sabha even for two minutes, while the Leader of the House Piyush Goyal was given 10 minutes to speak.
Shielding Rahul Gandhi, Kharge said that “How can they raise questions about someone who’s not even part of the house (Rajya Sabha)? Leader of House spoke for 10 minutes and LoP was given just two minutes. What rule is this? This is end of democracy and that’s what he (Rahul Gandhi) said in the seminar.”
Kharge came down heavily on the BJP-led central government alleging that microphones are switched off whenever the opposition raised Adani issue in the Parliament.
Talking to mediapersons outside Parliament, Kharge said, “There is no rule of law and democracy under Modi ji. They are running the country like a dictatorship, and then they talk about democracy.”
“We are demanding the constitution of JPC on the Adani stocks issue. When we raise this issue, then mikes are switched off and a ruckus erupts in the House,” the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha stated.
On Monday, the second leg of the Budget session of Parliament resumed after a month long break. The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm shortly after it reconvened this morning.
There was a ruckus by Opposition after Leader of the House Piyush Goyal sought an apology from Rahul Gandhi over his statement in London.
The Lok Sabha was also adjourned till 2 pm.
The second leg of the ongoing Budget Session will continue till April 6.
Previously, in the last session, the Opposition demanded a JPC probe into the Adani-Hindenburg issue due to which the Session faced repeated disruptions.
The concerned report from US-based short-seller firm Hindenburg Research surfaced on January 24 claiming that the Adani Group had weak business fundamentals, and was involved in stock manipulation and accounting fraud, among others.
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