In a fierce faceoff with the ruling party in Parliament, Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Monday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its parental organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) not the "entire Hindu community".
"Narendra Modi is not the entire Hindu society. BJP is not the entire Hindu society. RSS is not the entire Hindu society. This is not BJP's contract," said Gandhi in the Lok Sabha.
The Leader of the Opposition is now a 5 time MP but he has not learnt Parliamentary norms and neither does he understand civility. Time and again, he reduces the levels of discourse. His utterances towards the Chair today were in very poor taste. He owes and apology to the Chair…
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) July 1, 2024
Gandhi had a heated exchange with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the floor after the former showed Lord Shiva's portrait.
After the Congress MP showed the portrait of Lord Shiva, Speaker Om Birla objected to it saying, "No picture is allowed to be shown in the House."
When Gandhi displayed the portrait again, Shah stood up and said, "All rules of the House are being flouted. Despite being told not to, he keeps showing portraits."
लोकसभा में राहुल गांधी ने हिन्दू समाज को कहा हिंसक, तो पीएम श्री @narendramodi ने तुरंत जताया विरोध।
— BJP (@BJP4India) July 1, 2024
'पूरे हिंदू समाज को हिंसक कहना बहुत गंभीर विषय है!' pic.twitter.com/oEot30ysoy
Narendra Modi objected his remark and was quoted as saying by the media: "Calling the entire Hindu community violent is very serious."
Amidst the uproar in the Lower House, Speaker Om Birla said that the dignity of the House has to be maintained hence dignified words should only be used while speaking.