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Amit Malviya and BJP's Response
Senior BJP leader Amit Malviya criticized Gandhi, calling him "balak buddhi," a term previously used by Prime Minister Modi. Malviya posted a video of the Lok Sabha proceedings, stating, "What Balak Buddhi Rahul Gandhi did yesterday is neither surprising nor new. His mother Sonia Gandhi would do the same to heckle Prime Minister Vajpayee... But Mr Modi is no Vajpayee and Rahul isn’t Sonia either." Malviya further commented, "Third Time Fail Rahul Gandhi has reduced himself to a caricature."
BJP Releases Videos Highlighting Contrasts
The BJP released two videos showing Gandhi instructing opposition members to protest in the Lok Sabha and Prime Minister Modi offering water to protesting MPs. BJP national spokesperson Shahzad Poonawalla tweeted, "Two contrasting pictures - Pic 1: LoP Rahul Gandhi himself encouraging MPs to break rules & jump in the well and disturb PM's speech from the very beginning. Pic 2: PM Modi offers water even to a protesting MP who is heckling him. Who is the dictator? Does Rahul even deserve to be LoP?"
BJP national spokesperson Shahzad Poonawalla took a dig at the INDIA bloc for their continuous sloganeering inside the House when the Prime Minister was replying to the Motion of Thanks on the President's address to both Houses of Parliament.
In one video, Rahul Gandhi is seen gesturing to Opposition MPs to come forward and protest in the House. Some of the Opposition members are seen entering the Well of the House and chanting slogans. In a second video posted by Poonawalla, PM Modi was seen offering a glass of water to one of the sloganeering MPs.
The MP that PM Modi offered water to did not eventually accept it and thanked him, as seen in the video. However, another Opposition MP took the glass from PM Modi and drank the water.
Lok Sabha Proceedings and Resolution
During the session, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla reprimanded Gandhi, stating, "It is unbecoming of you as leader of the opposition... I have seen you asking members to troop to the well. Such behavior is unwarranted on your part." The Lok Sabha later passed a resolution condemning the opposition's disruptions, with Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh saying these actions "shredded" parliamentary norms. Singh moved the resolution following Modi’s speech, stating, "I propose that the House condemns this action."
Rahul Gandhi's Speech and Subsequent Protests
On July 1, Gandhi's fiery speech in the Lok Sabha during the debate on the Motion of Thanks for the President's address drew massive protests from the treasury benches. Prime Minister Modi slammed Gandhi for his remarks, accusing him of calling the entire Hindu community violent. Gandhi's comments were later expunged from the record. Gandhi also condemned an attack on the Gujarat Congress office, stating, "...The people of BJP who spread violence and hatred do not understand the basic principles of Hinduism. The people of Gujarat can clearly see through their lies and will teach the BJP government a decisive lesson."
Modi's Accusations and Continued Heckling
Prime Minister Modi, during his over two-hour speech, accused the Congress of plotting a "conspiracy to falsely claim Hindus were violent." He stated that the Congress and its "entire ecosystem" were attempting to "look down upon, abuse and insult Hinduism." Modi repeatedly referred to Gandhi as "balak buddhi" and braved continuous heckling by Congress MPs who breached the well and protested from the sides of the treasury bench.
The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha, which began on June 24, was adjourned sine die after the passage of the Motion of Thanks on the President's address. The session included seven sittings spread over 34 hours, with a productivity of 103 percent, according to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Despite the disruptions, the session underscored the increasing political friction and challenges facing India's parliamentary democracy.
(With inputs from agencies)
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