Union Minister JP Nadda on Monday countered allegations made by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, asserting that ‘no shots were fired at Jantar Mantar’ and accusing the Congress leader of ‘misleading the public and the country’ by making such claims.
Nadda’s remark came after Rahul Gandhi questioned Union Home Minister Amit Shah over who authorised the firing of pellet guns on the protesting students.
Rahul Gandhi doesn’t want Parliament to function: Nadda
Nadda further accused the Congress leader of ‘shifting the goalposts’ and disrupting Parliament, alleging that his objective was to prevent the House from functioning. The Health Minister said Rahul Gandhi had initially sought a discussion on NEET, but changed his demand after the government agreed to it, subsequently raising the Ram Mandir Trust and the Jantar Mantar incident.
“Rahul Gandhi keeps shifting the goalposts, both in Parliament and in the narrative, on a daily basis. His objective is not to engage in dialogue but to spread chaos. Initially, at the start of the session, he demanded a discussion on NEET. When we agreed to that, he raised the issue of the Ram Mandir Trust instead; subsequently, he insisted that the Home Minister make a statement regarding the Jantar Mantar incident. His intention is to prevent the House from functioning.”
“He does not want the House to run; that is why he has been disrupting proceedings for the past 15 days,” Nadda said, adding that when the government agreed to discuss the Jantar Mantar issue, Rahul Gandhi allegedly began ‘misleading’ people by claiming that shots were fired there.
“Today, when it was decided that the Jantar Mantar issue would indeed be discussed, he began misleading the people and the country by claiming that shots were fired at Jantar Mantar, when, in fact, no such incident occurred,” he said.
Nadda said that the Home Minister is ready to answer every question in Parliament, adding that the government’s stance has always been simple: let the House function. “If the House runs, we are prepared to answer on every issue,” he said.
Nadda slams Rahul Gandhi over Jharkhand protest
Nadda also accused Rahul Gandhi and the Congress of adopting “double standards” and engaging in ‘negative politics’. He questioned whether he was aware of the protests by students in Jharkhand and alleged that barbed-wire barricades had been erected there at the behest of the Congress.
“I would like to ask: Does he not hear the voices of the students in Jharkhand today? My information says that barbed wire fences were erected there at his behest; they are effectively running the government there, as they are an integral part of it. Do they not hear the students’ voices there? I want to state very clearly that the double standards adopted by Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party, creating anarchy, engaging in negative politics, and playing the role of an irresponsible opposition do nothing for the country’s future or its progress. I strongly condemn this,” he said.
‘Not interested in Amit Shah’s fantasy conversations’: Rahul Gandhi
Earlier, Gandhi demanded that Shah clearly state who ordered the alleged use of lathis, spiked batons and pellet guns against students protesting at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on July 20.
Speaking at a press conference, Rahul Gandhi said that if Amit Shah himself ordered the action, he should be held responsible, while if he was unaware of the decision, it would amount to incompetence. In either case, the Home Minister should resign from his post,” Gandhi added.
The Congress leader also clarified that the Opposition was not asking Amit Shah to come to Parliament and speak on any general subject. Instead, the Opposition wants a direct answer from the Home Minister on whether he ordered the use of force and firing against the protesting students, he added.
Earlier in the day, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had said that the government was ready for a discussion on the violence during the student movement and the subsequent police action. He also said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah would speak on the matter in Parliament.