Kharge's ‘patriot’ reply as Goyal objects to ‘G2’ jibe: 'Mar gaye hamare log…'

Parliament session: War of words between Piyush Goyal and Mallikarjun Kharge in Rajya Sabha over G20 logo.

The Rajya Sabha witnessed a war of words between the leader of the House Piyush Goyal and the leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge after the latter took a swipe at the logo of G20 under India's presidency. During the discussion on India's parliamentary journey of 75 years, Kharge stressed the need to control inflation and unemployment rate, claiming that democracy will come under threat otherwise.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge speaks in the House during a special session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Monday, Sept. 18, 2023.(PTI)

“The democracy will be destroyed if inflation isn't controlled in time and unemployment continues to rise,” Kharge told the upper house, requesting the government to provide answers to the challenges India is currently facing.

Touting about ‘G2’ is all right, Kharge said, as he inquired about the correct term for the 20-member bloc from fellow lawmakers.

Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar replied, “(It's) G20, sir”.

To this, Kharge said he got confused zero in G20 with lotus, referring to the logo under India's presidency.

“No, because the zero looked like a lotus,” the Congress leader said, evoking laughter from the opposition benches.

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Objecting to his remarks, Piyush Goyal urged Kharge not to “make fun of G20.”

“But the leader of the opposition, who is also Congress president, only sees 2G, one ji and son ji...,” he added, in a veiled reference to former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

A visibly irked Kharge shot back, “When it comes to the nation, we are all united...but don't think that you are the only patriots."

"Patriot hamare log hain, jaan hamare log diye, mar gaye hamare log, maza aap utha rahe ho aur humko seekhate ho? (our people are patriots, they sacrificed their lives…our people died…you are reaping the fruits and teaching us?”

During his speech, Kharge also requested the chairman to revoke the suspension of two AAP members, Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha, at a time when the House is holding the session and moving into the new Parliament building.