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The Congress leader spoke during the debate on the Motion of Thanks for the president's address to a joint session of Parliament.
On Monday, the Lok Sabha witnessed a passionate address by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who fiercely criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party on various issues, including the Agnipath Scheme and the NEET-UG paper leak. During his speech, the lower house of Parliament also saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi intervene twice in response to Rahul Gandhi's accusations against leaders of the ruling party for creating divisions based on religion. PM Narendra Modi criticized the Congress leader for labeling the entire Hindu community as aggressive.
Later, in a press briefing, Union ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw, Kiren Rijiju, and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, in a detailed response, criticized Rahul Gandhi for undermining the esteemed role of the Leader of Opposition with his "highly irresponsible" speech in the Lok Sabha. They countered his "false" assertions on various matters, such as the Agnipath scheme and compensation to locals in Ayodhya, point by point.
Rahul Gandhi asserted that BJP leaders cannot be considered Hindus because of their involvement in "violence and hate". In response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized the Congress leader for labeling the entire Hindu community as violent. Subsequently, certain parts of Rahul Gandhi's speech were later removed.
"It's not just one faith that emphasizes bravery. In fact, all our faiths emphasize bravery," Rahul Gandhi stated in his first speech as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
Displaying images of Lord Shiva, Guru Nanak, and Jesus Christ, the Congress leader referenced Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism, and Jainism to underscore the significance of fearlessness. He also highlighted the characteristics of Lord Shiva and the teachings of Guru Nanak, Jesus Christ, Buddha, and Mahavir to emphasize that all religions and eminent figures in the country have advocated "daro mat, darao mat (do not be scared, do not scare others)".
How BJP reacted -
PM Narendra Modi intervened during Rahul Gandhi's speech, remarking, "This matter is gravely concerning. Labeling the entire Hindu community as violent is a serious accusation."
Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanded that the Congress leader apologize to the Parliament and the nation for offending the sentiments of millions of people who proudly identify themselves as Hindus.
BJP president JP Nadda called for Rahul Gandhi to apologize, accusing him of spreading "falsehoods" and displaying "animosity towards Hindus," suggesting he hasn't learned from the 2024 Lok Sabha election results.