Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in the Lok Sabha, stating, “In Modi ji’s world, truth can be expunged. But in reality, the truth can’t be expunged. I said what I had to say, that is the truth. They can expunge as much as they want. Truth is truth.”
Outside Parliament, Gandhi addressed reporters regarding the controversy over the removal of several of his remarks from the Lower House records. His comments accused the ruling party of promoting communal divisions, leading to protests from the treasury benches. Prime Minister Modi himself criticized Gandhi, accusing him of labeling the entire Hindu community as violent.
In his first speech as Leader of the Opposition, Gandhi spoke on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address. He used religious teachings to emphasize the importance of fearlessness, quoting Prophet Muhammad and displaying images of Lord Shiva, Guru Nanak, and Jesus Christ. He stressed that major religions teach courage and oppose fear, saying, “Do not be scared, do not scare others,” and referencing Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism, and Jainism.
However, Gandhi’s sharp criticisms of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were removed from the official record. These included accusations of unfair treatment of minorities, criticism of industrialists Adani and Ambani, claims that the NEET exam favors the wealthy over meritorious students, and allegations that the Agniveer Scheme originated from the Prime Minister’s Office rather than the Indian Army.
Throughout his hour-and-forty-minute speech, Gandhi faced numerous interruptions, including two from Prime Minister Modi and interjections from at least five cabinet ministers. Home Minister Amit Shah demanded an apology from Gandhi, reflecting the high tension in the House. Despite this, Gandhi remained resolute, stating, “It is not just one religion that talks about courage. All our religions talk about courage.”
He further challenged the BJP’s credentials, saying, “Aap Hindu ho hi nahi” [You are not Hindu]. He cited Hindu teachings that advocate standing with the truth and not backing down from or fearing it. Prime Minister Modi, intervening during the speech, emphasized the seriousness of Gandhi’s accusations, stating, “This issue is serious. Calling the entire Hindu community violent is a serious issue.”
