Rahul Gandhi maafin mange: BJP MPs target Congress president in Lok Sabha

The BJP targeted Congress president Rahul in Lok Sabha over the SC’s verdict on the Rafale deal as they demanded an apology. Placards held by BJP legislators read: “Rahul Gandhi maafi mange (Rahul Gandhi should apologise).” 

This led to Opp MPs chanting (gali me shor hai, Modi sarkar chor hai" (everyone knows that Modi government is a thief).

The protest seemed to upset UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who asked the chair to let Mallikarjun Kharge speak.

Yesterday, three members of the ruling party in the Lok Sabha on Monday moved a notice of breach of privilege against the Congress president, alleging that he spoke "falsehood" and "misled the House" over the fighter aircraft deal in his speech during a debate in July.

Lok Sabha MP and BJP’s chief whip in Lok Sabha Anurag Thakur, Nishikant Dubey and Sanjay Jaiswal have moved a privilege motion against Congress president Rahul Gandhi over his comments about the Rafale deal and sought an apology for ‘misleading’ the house in a speech he delivered in Lok Sabha on July 20 during the no-confidence motion against the government.

In their notice, they called Gandhi’s price comparison of the aircraft with the UPA ones a ‘figment of his imagination, incorrect and utter falsehood’.

He said: “For reasons of national security, the Government of India has not given out the exact details but has already indicated that the price of the basic aircraft being purchased now as per the 2016 agreement is 9% cheaper and the price of the weaponised aircraft is 20% cheaper compared to the price being negotiated by the UPA.”

It added: “A comparative chart of these prices was submitted by the Government of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in sealed cover. After perusing the prices as claimed by the Government, the Hon’ble Court noted the submission of the Government that there is a commercial advantage in the prices negotiated in the 2016 deal by NDA Government. The court dismissed the challenge on basis of higher price offer as per the 2007 offer.”

Lok Sabha proceedings lasted barely for an hour on Tuesday as Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the House for the day amid slogan-shouting and protests by treasury and opposition benches over a range of issues, including Rafale deal.

As the House met at 11 AM, Congress members rushed into the Well



with placards in their hand and raised slogans demanding a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the Rafale deal.

There were more than 30 members from the AIADMK, the TDP and the Congress in the Well during the Question Hour.

The TDP members were demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh while the AIADMK MPs were protesting against a dam on the Cauvery river.

In the din, only one question related to production of garlic was taken up. Even as Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh was responding to supplementary questions, BJP members continued sloganeering on the Rafale issue.

The BJP members were demanding an apology from Congress President Rahul Gandhi. The House proceedings barely lasted for five minutes and it was adjourned till noon.

As the House re-convened at noon, the protests continued.

In the melee, the National Institute of Design (Amendment) Bill, 2018 was introduced in the House.

Upset with the disruption of proceedings, Mahajan said the members were well aware that this was an important session as everyone will face elections after this.

She said the government was ready for discussion, but the ruckus continued.

"This does not send a good message and we have to face the public," she said.

Mahajan lamented that people from other countries were questioning as to "what was happening in our country".

"I got a message that school kids are better than us. Are we worse than school kids?" she said.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said even they were ready for discussion, but demanded formation of a JPC to probe the Rafale deal so that every file related to the matter can be scrutinised.

To this Mahajan said that constitution of JPC was not under her purview.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the Supreme Court verdict has made things clear, indicating that there was no need for a JPC on the controversial issue.

Unhappy with the response, Congress members again started raising slogans, following which the House was adjourned for the day.

The lower house has been witnessing daily disruptions since the winter session began last week. It had passed a bill on transgender rights on Monday.