Rahul Gandhi's swipe at PM in Lok Sabha draws angry protests from BJP

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Friday caused an uproar in Parliament after he took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The remarks drew sharp condemnation from the BJP, with Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Kiren Rijiju terming them unparliamentary and demanding they be deleted from the record.

Parts of Rahul Gandhi's speech was later expunged.

Rahul Gandhi made the remarks during a debate on the government’s proposed amendments to the women’s reservation law and the formation of a delimitation commission. Terming the contentious amendments as a “panic reaction,” the 55-year-old Leader of Opposition said that the BJP was fully aware that the bills would not clear the Lok Sabha.

“They are not stupid. They knew every opposition member would oppose it. This was a panic reaction,” Rahul Gandhi said. He asserted that the move was driven by two objectives, stating, “First, to alter the electoral map of India. Second, to project the Prime Minister as pro-women.”

Rahul Gandhi’s remarks were aimed at criticising the government’s handling of key decisions, including the 2019 Balakot airstrikes on Jaish-e-Mohammed camps, the 2016 demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, and last year’s cross-border strikes on terror camps under Operation Sindoor.

BJP LASHES OUT AT RAHUL GANDHI

Rahul Gandhi’s comments drew an immediate response from BJP MPs in the Lok Sabha, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accusing him of employing inappropriate language against PM Modi. He alleged that Rahul Gandhi insulted the armed forces by referring to the Balakot strikes and Operation Sindoor, and demanded that his remarks be expunged.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh urged Speaker Om Birla to have the remarks removed from the record and called Rahul Gandhi's choice of words for PM Modi “highly objectionable” and that they deserved strong condemnation.

Intervening in the heated exchange, Birla said such language would not be allowed in the House and directed Gandhi to remain focused on the subject under discussion. Gandhi responded by alleging a “central confusion” within the BJP, but eventually agreed to avoid using the term that was being objected to.

Amid continued protests from the BJP members, Rahul Gandhi countered by saying the BJP was conflating itself with the nation and the armed forces.

“You (BJP) are not the people of India, you are not the armed forces, you are a political organisation. We are not attacking the people of India, we are not attacking the armed forces, we are attacking you. You are hiding behind the armed forces,” he said.

RAHUL GANDHI'S BANTER

Rahul Gandhi struck a lighter note during the Lok Sabha debate, remarking that both he and PM Modi did not have a “wife issue,” while stressing the role of women in shaping people’s lives.

“All of us here have been influenced and taught by women – our mothers, sisters and wives. Of course, the Prime Minister and I don’t have the wife issue, so we don’t get that input, but we do have our mothers and sisters,” he said, drawing laughter from all MPs.

Rahul Gandhi's comments came a day after the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, aimed at modifying provisions of the women’s reservation law, was introduced in the Lok Sabha following a division of votes.

Alongside that, two other legislation – the Delimitation Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill – were also tabled, seeking to implement the proposed changes to the women’s quota framework in Union Territories, including Delhi, Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir.