Rahul Gandhi
Soon after the AIADMK forced discussion on Aircell-Maxis ended, and discussion of president's address resumed, Rahul took the floor, accused the government of letting Pakistan off the hook.
After forcing wash out of the last two Parliament sessions, a new reality is dawning to the Congress to allow functioning of both the Houses, in order to floor the government on various issues. Waiting since Tuesday, to speak on the motion of thanks, derailed by the AIADMK protests, a belligerent Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi took on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of not listening to own colleagues and ignoring the voice of the people. A confident looking Rahul also accused Modi of destroying thousands of hours of diplomacy" of UPA government, that had put Pakistan in a diplomatic cage. Senior Congress leaders believe that there was a tacit understanding between the treasury benches and the AIADMK to force adjournments, in order to disallow Congress to raise burning issues. "We now feel, raising issues on the floor of Parliament gets wider attention and is best tool to floor the government,"a top leader told dna.
Soon after the AIADMK forced discussion on Aircell-Maxis ended, and discussion of president's address resumed, Rahul took the floor, accused the government of letting Pakistan off the hook. In his 30-minute speech full of sarcasm he repeatedly referred to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), provoking the BJP MPs to rise in protest when he also mentioned Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar a few times. "We convinced the world that Pakistan is the global supporter of terror. But in one move, he let Pakistan out of the cage we had forced it into by gifting them a status equal to ours," he said. He flayed the prime minister for dropping in Lahore in December just to greet Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharif on his birthday. He also taunted finance minister Arun Jaitley for announcing an amnesty scheme for those having black money. "Arun Jaitleyji has launched a new scheme, Fair and Lovely Scheme to turn black money white. Nobody will be jailed under the Fair and Lovely Scheme. Go to Jaitley Ji and your money will become white," said Rahul.
In Rajya Sabha, however, leader of Opposition, Ghulam Nabi Azad was cautious, choosing words carefully to ensure there was no ruckus in the House. He also made several references to speeches made by the PM. He said Modi before becoming the prime minister was criticising the Congress for not taking a strong stand against Pakistan. "Now the prime minister goes and attends wedding feasts in Pakistan," said Azad.
In contrast to Azad's caution, Rahul was combative blaming the prime minister for not listening to anybody. "Listen to those around you –to Rajnathji, Advaniji, Sushma ji." Accusing Modi of not listening to anybody and doing whatever he thinks right, Rahul said: "The Prime Minister cannot run the country on only his opinion. The country is not the Prime minister. The Prime Minister is not the country." A snide shout from the BJP benches: "What about India is Indira and Indira is India?" Asking whose opinion does the PM respect except his own, Rahul taunted: "You have been taught by your teachers in the RSS that there is only one truth - Yours."
He also mentioned his trip to the JNU to address the students after Kanhaiya's arrest, Rahul said: "When I went to JNU, your ABVP workers waved black flags in my face, they taunted and abused me. I felt no anger, I felt proud that I lived in an India where it was possible for me to be confronted by people who held a different opinion than me. A nation is the relationship between its people. It is nothing but the conversation between its citizens. You cannot defend the Indian flag by destroying the relationships between Indians."
Rahul also chided Modi on the so-called "historic" Naga accord he signed in August whose details are not made public even today. "You have been taught by your teachers in RSS that there is only one truth in universe - your own - and that nobody else's opinion matters," he said.