New Delhi [India]: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who appeared in Parliament for the first time on Thursday amid the ongoing row over his remarks on Indian democracy in the UK, alleged that the Centre is “scared” of the Adani issue which is why it has “prepared the entire ‘tamasha’ (drama)”.
The Congress leader said that he conveyed his message to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla about speaking in the House, and added that he felt that he would not be allowed to speak in the Parliament. Gandhi turned up in the Parliament today for the first time after returning to India from his UK visit. The Ministers in the government have been demanding an apology from the Congress leader for his alleged “anti-India” remarks.
Addressing the media after Parliament adjournment here, Gandhi said that it is his right to speak in the Parliament where allegations have been levelled against him.
“I told Speaker today that I want to speak in the Parliament. Four Ministers of the government have levelled allegations against me in the House. It is my right to speak. There is no clarity, but I don’t think that he will let me speak. I am hopeful that he will let me speak tomorrow. He adjourned the House within one minute of my arrival. I want to put forth my stand,” he said.
Referring to the expunged speech in Lok Sabha in the first half of the ongoing Budget Session, the Wayanad MP claimed that he had stated everything in his speech which was already in the public domain.
“The idea is that in the speech that I delivered in the Parliament House a few days ago on Adani and his relationship with PM Modi, I asked questions. The entire speech was expunged. There was nothing in that speech that I had not carved from the public record, from the newspapers, statements of various people. But it was expunged,” he said further suggesting that the entire issue of demanding an apology from him was a “distraction”.
“The entire matter is about distraction. The government and the Prime Minister are scared of the Adani issue because of this they have prepared this entire ‘tamasha’. I feel that they will not let me speak in Parliament because the main question is still on the table. What is the relation between Adani and PM Modi and why are the defence contracts being given to him?” Gandhi asked.
“I am an MP and my first responsibility is to answer in the Parliament. I want to discuss things with you after answering in Parliament,” he told the media persons.
