Will move privilege notice against Rahul Gandhi for making baseless statements: Kiren Rijiju
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi alleged that the government has "sold Bharat Mata" through the India-US interim trade deal and that it was a "wholesale surrender" with India's energy security handed over to America and farmers' interests compromised.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday (February 11) said the government would move a privilege notice against the Leader of Oppoistion in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for misleading the House and making baseless allegations.
This comes after the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha attacked the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central government over the recently finalised trade deal with the United States.
Rahul Gandhi has made useless and false allegations: Rijiju
Referring to Rahul Gandhi's speech during the budget discussion, "We are going to file a privilege notice against Rahul Gandhi for misleading the House and also making baseless statements. There are clear rules and procedures for the conduct of business in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. When a member intends to make serious charges against another member, then you have to give notice and also substantiate the allegation."
He added that he had requested the Chair to ask Rahul Gandhi to come to the floor of the House and authenticate the claims made during his speech. "Rahul Gandhi has made useless and false allegations against the government and the Prime Minister, claiming that the Prime Minister has sold India and Indian interests. On what basis? He has also made serious allegations against Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri without giving any notice," Rijiju said.
Rijiju said the Congress leader made allegations without evidence, arguments, or procedural notice. "His entire speech, including all incorrect statements, false claims and unparliamentary words, should be expunged from the records. Especially the lies and baseless allegations he has made must be removed," he said.
"I reminded him that no one can sell this country and no one can buy it. Yet Rahul Gandhi claimed that someone has sold India and someone has bought India. No one can even imagine buying or selling India," he added.
Govt sold Bharat Mata: Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha
Rahul Gandhi accused the government of having "sold Bharat Mata" through the India-US interim trade deal, calling it a "wholesale surrender" that, he claimed, compromises India's energy security and farmers' interests.
Speaking during the Union Budget debate, the Leader of the Opposition said that if an INDIA bloc government had negotiated the agreement, it would have insisted that the United States treat India as an equal partner.
"You have sold India. Are you not ashamed of selling India? You have sold our mother, Bharat Mata," he said, referring to the trade deal.
He alleged that under the agreement, India’s energy security has been weakened, claiming that the US would now influence decisions on where India sources its oil from. Gandhi further said that farmers’ interests have been compromised, warning that Indian agriculture would face a "storm" as US agricultural products flood domestic markets.
The Congress leader also claimed that the Indian textile industry has been severely hit, saying it is “finished” under the current policies.
Referring to earlier remarks by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and NSA Ajit Doval that the era of war is over, Gandhi countered the assertion, saying, "The reality is that we are moving into an era of war."
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