India News | Rahul Gandhi Must Apologise for Defaming Parliament: Piyush Goyal
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal on Tuesday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks in the UK, accusing him of defaming Parliament and spreading misconceptions, and demanded he apologise.
New Delhi, Mar 14 (PTI) Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal on Tuesday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks in the UK, accusing him of defaming Parliament and spreading misconceptions, and demanded he apologise.
Gandhi, during a recent visit to the UK, had alleged that the structures of Indian democracy were under "brutal attack" and there was a full-scale assault on the country's institutions.
Without naming the Congress leader, Goyal said remarks made by a leader on "our Parliament, (Lok Sabha) Speaker and (Rajya Sabha) Chairman abroad and in a way the country's democracy" are serious and he should apologise in Parliament.
"I believe this is a very serious issue over which the entire country and members are angry. The defamation of Parliament, the way in which the country's pride has been hurt...The leader who attempted to ruin the country's image, those who attacked the country abroad and spread misconceptions about the country's Parliament...He must apologise over this in the Parliament," he said.
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The minister said at a time when the G20's presidency is being held by India and the whole world is looking at the country, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a "role model praised by global leaders", such statements made by a senior leader on India's Parliament and all its institutions is a "very unfortunate situation".
"At such a time, a senior leader goes (abroad) and India's Parliament and all its institutions, whether it is the Election Commission, our judiciary, about everyone, gives such statements, such presentations. I believe this is a very unfortunate situation for India and he must apologise inside the House, apologise to the nation, apologise to the Chair," Goyal said.
He spoke shortly after Rajya Sabha reassembled at 2 pm after being adjourned earlier in the day. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar adjourned the House for the day a few minutes later amid uproar over Gandhi's remarks.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)