New Delhi: BJP MP Anurag Thakur Wednesday called Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi “Leader of Propaganda” and said he breaks the rules of the House and attempts to disrupt proceedings. He also asserted that parliamentary functioning would be governed by established rules and not by any external “toolkit”.
Speaking against the resolution seeking to move a no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Thakur accused the Congress leader of repeatedly violating parliamentary norms.
“The Leader of Propaganda breaks all the rules of the House,” Thakur said while criticising Rahul Gandhi.
He added that the functioning of the House would be guided strictly by parliamentary procedures. “This House will run as per the rule book, not by the toolkit of George Soros,” Thakur said.
The BJP leader also mocked the Congress party over what he described as a mistake in seeking to remove Speaker Om Birla. According to Thakur, the notice contained several errors which had to be pointed out by the Speaker.
“The party which has been in power for 60 years does not know how to file a notice? There were so many problems in the notice that the Speaker had to inform them to correct it,” he said.
Thakur went on to credit Rahul Gandhi for the errors and further accused him of violating parliamentary rules during his speeches earlier in the session.
He claimed that the Leader of the Opposition had also broken the rules during his speeches delivered in the House February 4, 5 and 6.
“Some people enter this House with minus triple C. No civic sense, no common sense, and no constitutional sense. They just want to create a ruckus here,” Thakur said while continuing the attack on Gandhi.
Recalling the conduct expected from Members of Parliament, he said new MPs are usually guided about decorum and behaviour inside the House.
“When we became Members of the Lok Sabha, we were told how to behave inside the House. However, one person breaks all these rules, and that is the Leader of Propaganda,” he said.
Taking another swipe at the Congress leader, Thakur described him as “FOMO Gandhi”. “This is FOMO Gandhi. He is afraid that he might get removed from the headlines,” he said.
Thakur also criticised Rahul Gandhi’s statements made during his visits abroad and alleged that the Congress leader remained silent in Parliament but made remarks outside the country.
“When the Parliament session is underway, he does not say anything and then goes abroad and says anything. I would like to say that this House will run as per the rule book, not by the toolkit of Soros,” Thakur added.
The BJP MP also questioned why Rahul Gandhi had not signed the notice for the no-confidence motion against the Speaker.
“The way, in the last 12 years, the Opposition has worked to create a conspiracy and disrespect the country’s Constitution and constitutional institutions is not hidden from anyone. However, our democracy is so strong, and the voters are so aware that they have destroyed the conspiracies and lies,” Thakur said.
Defending Speaker Om Birla, Thakur said the presiding officer had provided equal opportunity to Members from all parties to express their views in the House. “Whether it be Congress or SP, everyone has said that Om Birla allowed everybody to speak,” he said.
He further stated that even first-time MPs were allowed to participate in debates.
“First timers first; those who were not given a chance to speak, even by their own parties. Even those who got fewer opportunities by their party were given a chance to speak by Om Birla. Everybody is praising him. Every Member is speaking in favour of him,” Thakur said.
Thakur also alleged that Rahul Gandhi was upset that other Congress MPs spoke during the debate without his approval.
“It seems that Rahul Gandhi was upset that the Congress MP spoke on it when he did not permit it. Now, if Rahul Gandhi was not in the House and other members of his party got the chance, they are now trying to snatch that away too,” he said.
The BJP MP further accused Opposition members of disrespecting the Speaker inside his chamber.
“Under whose leadership did the leaders insult and disrespect the Speaker in his chamber? Which Congress leaders were involved in this? Speaker still kept silent,” Thakur said.
Referring to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks abroad about the “Indian state”, Thakur questioned the Congress leader’s position and said, “If your fight is against the Indian state, then what is the difference between the Indian National Congress and ISI? If your fight is against India, then what kind of fight is this?”
