In a fiery assault within the Lok Sabha against the ruling BJP concerning the Manipur situation, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack, asserting that they had “murdered India in Manipur” and were “traitors not patriots”.
Taking the floor as the first speaker during the resumption of the no-confidence debate on Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi directed his criticism towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi in light of the ethnic violence in Manipur.
Referring to the BJP, which holds authority both at the Centre and in Manipur, he proclaimed, “you killed Bharat Mata in Manipur”. Recalling his visit to Manipur and his interactions with victims of the violence in the state, the Congress leader conveyed that “Bharat” symbolizes the voice of the nation’s people, and that this “voice was killed in Manipur”. He asserted, “Bharat ek awaaz hai, Bharat hamari janta ki awaaz hai, dil ki awaaz hai. Uss awaaz ki hatya aapne Manipur mein ki. Iska matlab Bharat Mata ki hatya aapne Manipur mein ki…You killed India by killing the people of Manipur.
You are a traitor, you are not a patriot,” Rahul Gandhi affirmed. “They killed India in Manipur. Not just Manipur but they killed India.
Their politics has not killed Manipur, but it has killed India in Manipur. They have murdered India in Manipur,” he added. Rahul Gandhi pointed out that the Prime Minister has not visited the northeastern state since it witnessed violence.
“A few days back, I went to Manipur. Our PM didn’t go, not even to this day, because for him Manipur is not India,” Gandhi alleged.
Strong objections arose from BJP members in response to Rahul Gandhi’s allegations, particularly his use of “Bharat Mata” in relation to the Manipur situation. Speaker Om Birla emphasized the importance of displaying respect while referencing “Bharat Mata”. Rahul Gandhi also shared insights into his Bharat Jodo Yatra. “At the outset, when I initiated the Yatra, I considered walking 25 km to be an attainable feat since I run 10 km every day.
Looking back now, it was arrogance. There was arrogance within me during that time. However, India wipes out arrogance, erasing it in an instant. Consequently, within 2-3 days, my knees began to ache due to an old injury.
In the initial days, the lion was reduced to an ant. What I had set out to observe with pride was replaced by humility…” Gandhi shared. This speech marked Rahul Gandhi’s first since being reinstated as a member of the House after his disqualification resulting from a conviction in a Gujarat court’s defamation case.
He also used this opportunity to indirectly address the government regarding the Congress allegations concerning the Adani-Hindenburg issue. “Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude for your decision to reinstate me as an MP of the Lok Sabha. In my previous address, I may have inadvertently caused you inconvenience by focusing on Adani, potentially causing discomfort to your senior colleague.
This discomfort might have indirectly affected you as well. I extend my apologies to you for that. However, I spoke the truth.
Today, my friends in the BJP should not harbor apprehension because my discourse today is not centered around Adani…” Gandhi stated. This marked Rahul Gandhi’s maiden speech after his re-entry into the House following his disqualification due to a conviction by a Gujarat court in a defamation case.
Last week, the Supreme Court intervened by granting a stay on Rahul Gandhi’s conviction in a criminal defamation case linked to a remark involving the Modi surname. This development led to his reinduction as a member of the Lok Sabha on Monday. On Tuesday, the Lok Sabha initiated discussions on a no-confidence motion against the government
