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In Rajya Sabha, Piyush Goyal vs Mallikarjun Kharge over Cong prez’s Alwar speech
Union minister Piyush Goyal demanded Mallikarjun Kharge’s apology for his Alwar speech, saying it was indecent, uncivilised, and attempted to place untruths before the nation
NEW DELHI: Union minister and Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal on Tuesday condemned Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s controversial remark at a rally in Rajasthan and sought Kharge’s apology before he could be allowed to speak in the House, a demand that Kharge firmly rejected.
As the treasury and Congress benches sparred over Kharge’s remarks at a Bharat Jodo Yatra event in Rajasthan’s Alwar, chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar stepped in again to admonish the members for their conduct. “We are not children,” Dhankhar said, underlining that members may disagree with anything that was being said but this did not mean that they will disturb the proceedings. “Is this our level that we can’t even listen to each other,” he said.
The controversy was around Kharge’s remarks at a Bharat Jodo Yatra event in Alwar where he mounted a sharp offensive against the BJP-led central government over national security and said that efforts are being made to intimidate the Congress, but the party will not be afraid. “After independence, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi gave their life for the country. Not even a dog died in the house of BJP leaders for this country.If Congress says anything, they call the party anti-national,” he said.
Goyal was asked by the chairman to make his point on Kharge’s statement after a large number of BJP members were on their feet to criticise the Congress leader.
“Yesterday, LoP Mallikarjun Kharge gave an indecent speech in Alwar. The language used is unfortunate. I condemn the manner in which he used uncivilised language, said baseless things and attempted to present untruths before the nation. I demand an apology from him,“ Goyal said.
Kharge firmly rejected the demand for an apology.
“What I said during Bharat Jodo Yatra in Rajasthan’s Alwar was outside the House. What I said was said politically outside the House, not inside. There is no need to discuss that here. Secondly, I can still say that they (treasury benches) had no role in the freedom struggle. If I repeat what I said outside, it’ll get difficult for them. The ones who apologised during the freedom struggle are asking the ones who fought for freedom to apologise… Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi sacrificed themselves for the country. Who among you gave your life for the unity of this country?” Kharge said, his remarks directed at the BJP.
Goyal responded to the barb with a swipe at Kharge, saying the Congress president didn’t know how to speak and reflected on why Mahatma Gandhi after Independence favoured disbanding of the Congress. “Kharge is a living example of that and is showing the nation that what Gandhi ji said was true,” Goyal said, and blamed the Congress for China occupying 38,000 sqkm of Indian territory and the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
