The BJP and the Opposition locked horns in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday over Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s remark the day before when he asked the party if even a dog in BJP leaders’ homes had died for the country. At a Bharat Jodo Yatra rally in Rajasthan’s Alwar on Monday, Kharge said the Congress won independence for India and “for the unity of the nation, Indira Gandhi sacrificed her life, Rajiv Gandhi gave his life for this nation’s unity”. He went on to say, “So this is what we did, our party leaders laid down their life. What did you do? Aapke ghar mein koi desh ke liye kutta mara hai? Kya koi toh kurbani di hai? Nahi. (Has even a dog in your home died for the country? Have you given any sacrifice? No) But even then they are patriots and whatever we say we’ll be traitors.” कांग्रेस ने हमेशा भारत को जोड़ने की बात की है। देश की एकता के लिए इंदिरा गाँधी जी ने अपनी जान दी, राजीव गाँधी जी ने अपनी जान दी! भाजपा और आरएसएस के किसी भी नेता ने देश को जोड़ने के लिए कोई भी बलिदान नहीं दिया। आज़ादी की लड़ाई में भी, उन्होंने अंग्रेजों से केवल माफ़ी माँगी! pic.twitter.com/A39bBRDEAD — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) December 20, 2022 Soon after papers were laid in the Upper House during the session on Tuesday, treasury bench members started demanding an apology from the Congress leader. Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar urged those protesting to take their seats and asked Piyush Goyal, the Leader of the House, to persuade the members to maintain decorum in the House. As protests continued, the Chairman said he does not “appreciate such unruly scenes and chaotic behaviour” in the House. “This House, either side, is a platform of expression. This House has to reflect and take note of everything that happens outside. …everything spoken here carries a great weight. Anyone wants to take anything should take recourse to rules,” he said. Goyal said, “Yesterday, Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge used foul language in his speech at Alwar. He made baseless remarks and tried to keep untruth before the nation. I strongly condemn it and demand an apology from him.” The BJP leader went on to add, “The way he has used the foul language reflected his thinking and jealousy. ….He (Kharge) may be jealous that his party is not being accepted by people. Use of such foul language is an insult of this House and all citizens.” Goyal claimed Mahatma Gandhi said the Congress should be disbanded after Independence, adding that Kharge’s behaviour shows that what Gandhi had said “was true”. He added, “Kharge does not even know how to give a speech. Till he seeks apology he has no right to stay in the House.” Taking to Twitter, party IT incharge Amit Malviya said, “Earlier Rahul Gandhi was the only embarrassment, Congress spokespersons had to defend. Now they have a new addition. Life is good.” Kharge replied that there was no need to discuss the issue as the remarks were outside the House. “What I had said politically was outside the House and not in the House. There is no need to discuss here,” he said, maintaining that the BJP did not have any role during the country’s freedom movement.
