THE first-ever address of Mr. Rahul Gandhi as Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha was the launching statement of a dirty political game he is planning to continue playing. He told planned lies, made wrong statements deliberately, purposely accused the Hindu community of being violent ...! That was the reason he did remained unfazed even when Members rose in unison to challenge him. Obviously, Mr. Rahul Gandhi is geared up to grab the initiative in the match of political narratives in the coming five years -- no matter how slim the chances of his winning in this dirty game are. Political analysis apart, it is time for Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi to retaliate in the most assertive manner and teach the arrogant LoP a lesson which he will never be able to forget. For, in the process of playing his political games, Mr. Rahul Gandhi is trying to paint the entire Hindu community in dark colours of violence and untruth. In an attempt to malign the Modi Government, he told lies about the Agniveer scheme and the Minimum Support Price and the Goods and Services Tax (GST), for example. He also indulged in parliamentary misdemeanours by displaying pictures of various personages and deities during his address -- which is strictly a taboo in Parliament. It was only natural, therefore, for Union Home Minister Mr. Amit Shah and others to request Speaker Mr. Om Birla to seek Mr. Gandhi’s apology and also prove the allegations he made during his speech.

 

This tough response by the ruling party must be continued -- until Mr. Rahul Gandhi apologises to the nation and submits the evidence to support his allegations. Those who saw and heard Mr. Gandhi giving the speech in the Lok Sabha instantly formed the opinion that he was overstepping limits of decency, decorum and dignity of the House -- and also of the nation. Whatever may his political strategy be, Mr. Rahul Gandhi has no business or no right to make such statements that would infringe upon the dignity of the Hindu community or even tell lies about Government schemes. The Speaker must demand an unconditional apology from Mr. Rahul Gandhi. In fact, when Mr. Gandhi was making his cantankerous speech, the Speaker should have stopped him and directed him to avoid all objectionable statements. And if he were not to stop, the Speaker should have him thrown out. But nothing of that sort happened. In Fact, Mr. Rahul Gandhi criticised the Speaker personally - which should not have been tolerated at all. Rules do provide for such strong actions against erring Members.

 

It is perfectly all right for the Opposition to dispute Government policies and actions. That is part of the democratic discourse of the country. Yet, when the Leader of Opposition makes statements intended to heap insults and falsehood upon the nation, then such politics needs to be halted in its tracks -- of course within the framework of rules and norms. But considering the content of Mr. Gandhi’s statement and considering also the manner in which he delivered it, the deliverer needs to be taken to task in all seriousness. No matter who the person is, such brazenness should be halted in its track -- if the dignity and decorum of parliamentary democracy is to be protected and preserved. Mr. Rahul Gandhi has every freedom to pursue his political agenda and goals. But he has no right whatsoever to do that at the cost of national unity and integration. Mr. Gandhi’s speech was actually a document of division. Hence our demand for action to halt him in the tracks. We have no intention of discussing the detailed points in his speech. Suffice it is to say that both, the form and the content of the speech were highly objectionable and fully unacceptable.