Union home minister Amit Shah hit out at the Congress, especially targeting the party’s senior leader Rahul Gandhi, over its “disruptive behaviour” in Parliament. He said the grand old party has changed after the entry of the Gandhi scion and the “standard of politics” has dropped to an all-time low since.
In an interview to The Indian Express, Shah’s sharp words against Gandhi came when he was asked about the “bitterness” between the treasury benches and the opposition. He also criticised the “absence of discussion” during Parliament sessions, saying he feels pained that the institution is treated in such a “cavalier manner”.
“…There is an absence of discussion in Parliament. On all controversial legislation or issues, be it Article 370, CAA, I have replied to every question raised, joined debates, but I feel pained that there’s no discussion, that Parliament is treated in so cavalier a manner,” he told IE, when asked if the issue of unemployment can be solved by introducing an initiative that cuts across party lines.
He said Rahul Gandhi’s entry into the Congress has changed the party’s behaviour and its standards have fallen since. “In my opinion, it’s after the entry of Rahul Gandhi in the party that the Congress’s behaviour has changed, the standards of politics have fallen after that,” he was quoted as saying about the bitterness between the treasury benches and opposition.
The senior BJP leader pointed at the disruptions made by the Congress in the form of boycotts over the past 20 years. He said he has never before seen the prime minister’s reply to the president’s address being continuously disrupted, which shows a “disrespect” not towards Narendra Modi but the constitutional system.
“Just look up the reasons for boycotting Parliament over the last 20 years. They find excuses to exit Parliament. Earlier, there were events that triggered boycotts and even that boycott was for a few days… I have never seen the prime minister replying to the president’s address and you continuously disrupting him for an hour-and-a-half. He is the prime minister because the people of the country have given him that mandate, you are disrespecting not Narendra Modi but the Constitutional system,” he is quoted as saying in the interview.
On a distinct shift in public perception towards Gandhi, he further said anyone who is thoughtful and thinks with seriousness, is worthy of being welcomed by the nation. But, on the matter of the Congress MP’s disqualification from Parliament over a campaign speech, he said it was a “court process”.
“If the court punishes him, should he get special treatment? The day the court stayed that, he was back in Parliament the very next day. This is the law, the law that they brought in, not us,” he said during the interview.
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