New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party President JP Nadda demanded an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks in Lok Sabha alleging that he spoke "lies" and reflected "Hindu hatred" and that he has not learnt from the mandate of 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Lok Sabha witnessed an uproar over Rahul Gandhi's remarks pertaining to the Hindu community with Home Minister Amit Shah saying that the Congress leader should "apologise" over his remarks.
"First day, worst show! Lies + Hindu hatred = Rahul Gandhi Ji in Parliament. Third Time Fail LoP has a knack for agitated, flawed logic. His speech today has shown that neither has he understood the mandate of 2024 (his third successive loss) nor does he have any humility," JP Nadda posted on X.
"Rahul Gandhi Ji must immediately APOLOGISE to all Hindus for terming them as violent. This is the same person who was telling foreign diplomats that Hindus are terrorists. This intrinsic hate towards Hindus must stop," he added.
Nadda alleged that Rahul Gandhi has not learnt Parliamentary norms and "neither does he understand civility".
"The Leader of the Opposition is now a 5 time MP but he has not learnt Parliamentary norms and neither does he understand civility. Time and again, he reduces the levels of discourse. His utterances towards the Chair today were in very poor taste. He owes and apology to the Chair for casting unsubstantiated aspersions on his integrity and personality," he added.
"The LoP BLATANTLY LIED on many counts including matters that concern our hardworking farmers and brave armed forces. He was duly fact-checked by Union Ministers for FALSE claims on MSP and Agniveer. For his own cheap politics, he won't even spare our farmers and security forces," Nadda posted.
He said that the discussion on the President's Speech is about healthy debate.
"Discussion on the President's Speech is about healthy debate. The Opposition, in their misplaced triumphalism, continues to be destructive, not constructive. Never in the last 60 years has an opposition been rejected 3 times consecutively. They way they are going, they will beat their own record in the coming times," he added.
Participating in the debate on the Motion Of Thanks on the President's Address, Rahul Gandhi targeted the BJP-led government and alleged there has been "a systematic attack" on the idea of India.
"There has been a systematic and full-scale assault on the idea of India, the Constitution and on the people who resisted the attack on the Constitution. Many of us were personally attacked. Some of the leaders are still in jail.
Anyone who resisted the idea of concentration of power and wealth, aggression on poor and Dalits and minorities was crushed. ..I was attacked by the order of the Government of India, by the order of the Prime Minister of India...The most enjoyable part of it was the 55 hours of interrogation by ED...," he alleged.
"Abhayamudra is the symbol of Congress...The Abhayamudra is the gesture of fearlessness, is the gesture of reassurance and safety, which dispels fear and accords divine protection and bliss in Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism and other Indian religions...All our great men have spoken about non-violence and finishing fear...But, those who call themselves Hindu only talk about violence, hatred, untruth...Aap Hindu ho hi nahi," the Congress leader said.
Home Minister Amit Shah targeted Rahul Gandhi and said connecting violence with any religion is wrong.
"The Leader of Opposition has categorically said that those who call themselves Hindu talk of violence and do violence. He doesn't know that crores of people proudly call themselves Hindu. Connecting violence with any religion is wrong. He should apologise," Amit Shah said.
Rahul Gandhi also said the BJP is not the entire Hindu society.
"Narendra Modi is not the entire Hindu society. BJP is not the entire Hindu society, RSS is not the entire society, this is not BJP's contract," Rahul Gandhi said.
Rahul Gandhi also alleged that ministers were scared of greeting him in the presence of PM Modi.
The Prime Minister took a dig at Rahul Gandhi over his remarks and said democracy has taught him to take democracy seriously.
"Democracy and the Constitution have taught me that I need to take the Leader of Opposition seriously," PM Modi said.
Rahul Gandhi, who made his first speech as Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, also attacked the government over the Agniveer scheme.