Parliament Row Erupts as Rahul Gandhi Clashes With Media Over Privilege Motion
A major political confrontation unfolded in Parliament on Thursday, with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi engaging in a heated exchange with journalists over questions regarding a potential privilege motion against him. This incident has sparked significant criticism from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), intensifying tensions during the ongoing Budget session.
Rahul Gandhi Questions Media Over 'Code Word'
As Rahul Gandhi walked towards his car outside the Parliament complex, he was surrounded by reporters seeking his response to reports that the ruling party might move a privilege motion against him. Visibly upset, Gandhi shot back at the journalists, asking, "Is privilege the code word for today? Have you been given this word for today?"
Referring to questions raised a day earlier, he added, "Yesterday the word was authentication, today it is privilege. You should try to do some objective stuff. You are not totally employed by the BJP; it gets really shameful."
He further told the journalists, "You are responsible people, you have media people, you have a responsibility to stay objective. You are doing a disservice to this nation. Are you not able to recognize that?"
Row Over Remarks in Lok Sabha
This exchange follows a stormy session in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, when Rahul Gandhi launched a strong attack on the government. He accused it of "surrendering" India and its people before foreign powers and of "selling the Bharat Mata." His remarks drew loud protests from treasury bench members, who termed his language "unparliamentary" and demanded that portions of his speech be expunged from the record.
BJP lawmakers later stated that a privilege motion would be brought against the Leader of Opposition for allegedly "misleading" the House with "baseless and malicious" claims.
The Congress defended Rahul Gandhi, asserting that he had not violated any parliamentary norms and was within his rights to criticise the government and the Prime Minister. They described his comments as addressing what they called "capitulating and surrendering" India's energy and farmers' interests in the India-US trade deal.
Rijiju Accuses Rahul of Avoiding Questions
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticised Rahul Gandhi's remarks against the media, suggesting that the Opposition leader was unwilling to answer questions. "This is wrong. If he interrupts and scolds the media, then who will ask the questions? Have we ever stopped the media from asking questions? While we were in the Opposition, we never said anything to the media naming Congress. He must have said all this because he doesn't want to answer the media," Rijiju said, as quoted by news agency ANI.
He added that he had spoken to several Congress MPs and asked them to advise Rahul Gandhi to adhere to House rules. "I have asked many Congress MPs to make Rahul Gandhi understand that notices can be moved against him if he speaks in contravention of the rules," Rijiju stated.
Video Controversy Over Speaker's Chamber
Rijiju also shared a video on his social media handle, which he claimed was "illegally taken by a Congress MP." According to him, the footage showed 20–25 Congress MPs entering Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's chamber, verbally abusing him and threatening Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In his post accompanying the video, Rijiju wrote, "Our party believes in debate & discussion and never encourage MPs to threaten physically." He alleged that senior Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and K C Venugopal, were present in the chamber and did not stop other MPs.
"They (the Congress MPs) were egging them on. Had our MPs misbehaved with anyone, our leader would stop them. But their (Congress') leaders were egging on the MPs to quarrel," Rijiju had said earlier. The incident reportedly took place last week when Opposition MPs went to the Speaker's chamber to protest against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's remarks about former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.
Priyanka Gandhi Rejects Allegations
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra strongly denied Rijiju's claims, calling them "a lie." "We did not abuse anyone. One or two MPs were agitated, and they expressed it. He also said that I was encouraging them, which is a lie. I was sitting quietly. In the end, I said a few things peacefully to the Speaker," she told reporters in the Parliament House complex.
She rejected the charge that she had encouraged colleagues during the confrontation, insisting that no abuse took place and that she spoke calmly at the end. This ongoing dispute highlights the deepening political divisions and heightened rhetoric in Parliament, as both sides trade accusations and defend their positions amid a charged atmosphere.
