After claiming that there will be an “earthquake” if he speaks, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday (14) alleged that he has detailed information about “personal corruption” by prime minister Narendra Modi which he wants to present in Lok Sabha but is not being allowed to do so by Modi.
Parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar rejected Gandhi’s allegation as “false and baseless” and “very unfortunate”. “The allegation was made out of desperation and he (Gandhi) should apologise to the nation,” Kumar told reporters.
As the parliament remained deadlocked over the issue of demonetisation, Gandhi said the prime minister is personally terrified of him being allowed to speak inside Lok Sabha.
“The prime minister is personally terrified of me being allowed to open my mouth inside Lok Sabha because I have information about the prime minister that is going to explode his balloon. And I am not being allowed to speak in the House,” he told reporters in parliament premises.
Asked what kind of information he has, the congress vice president said: “That information is personal information about Narendra Modiji which I want to state in Lok Sabha. It is personal corruption of the prime minister that we have detailed information about. We want to present it, which the prime minister is not allowing us to speak.”
Gandhi said the entire opposition wants a debate in parliament and have discussed with the speaker to allow it while dispensing all rules.
“Pretty much unconditionally we are ready to have a discussion, but the government is not interested in having a discussion. I have already said it before, the prime minister is personally terrified of me being allowed to open my mouth inside the Lok Sabha,” he said.
He claimed Modi has taken a decision against the poor people of this country and has “destroyed” millions of lives and thus is answerable. He said he has personally taken this decision and he cannot keep running away from the House.
Gandhi said the prime minister cannot keep “running away” to pop concerts to public meetings. “This is a democracy, he owes this country an explanation and he owes the entire opposition a space in the discussion in the Lok Sabha,” he
said.
“The prime minister is worried. He goes to pop concerts and public meetings. Why does he not come to the House. For the first time in history, the treasury benches and the government is stalling parliament. Normally the opposition
stalls the House.
“The prime minister should stop taking alibis and he should come to the House and give all of us an opportunity to speak. Then the country should take a decision on whether the opposition or the prime minister is speaking the truth,” he said.
Gandhi was accompanied by a few other party leaders besides his own leaders in Lok Sabha, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Earlier leaders of 16 opposition parties met on Wednesday (14) in the chamber of Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad’s and decided to launch a united offensive against the government on demonetisation. They also decided to launch a united offensive against union minister Kiren Rijiju, who is under opposition fire over his alleged role in the “Arunachal power scam”.
Diwali illuminations in Leicester (Pic credit: Beth Walsh Photography) Beth Walsh Photography 