Smriti Irani criticizes Rahul Gandhi's 'murder of India' remarks, calls them disrespectful and inappropriate

File Photo/PTI

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday came down heavily on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his "murder of India in Manipur" remark in Lok Sabha, saying this is for the first time in parliamentary democracy that someone has made such a statement.

In her response following Gandhi's speech on the no-confidence debate, Irani expressed her dismay over his choice of words. She called his comment unprecedented in parliamentary democracy, asserting that it was the first time someone had made such a statement. Irani emphasized that Manipur is an integral part of India and condemned the behavior displayed during the session.

She further addressed Gandhi's recent Bharat Jodo Yatra, noting that the Congress leader's visit to Jammu and Kashmir was seen as playing with snowballs despite the bloodshed previously associated with it. She credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to abrogate Article 370 for enabling such a visit.

Irani also touched upon the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and the turmoil in Kashmir during Congress regimes, as she highlighted the party's history marred by violence and unrest.

Meanwhile, Irani expressed outrage over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi blowing a flying kiss in the Lok Sabha, calling him misogynist and saying the House had never witnessed such an "indecent act".

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BJP women MPs later met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and demanded "stringent action" against Gandhi.

In a complaint, signed by more than 20 women parliamentarians, it was alleged that the Congress member made the "inappropriate gesture" towards Irani when was speaking in the House during the debate on the no-confidence motion against the government.

The minister for women and child development spoke after Gandhi, who alleged that the government's politics had "murdered Bharat Mata" in Manipur and termed members of the ruling BJP "traitors".

The Congress leader also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting ethnic violence-hit Manipur and alleged that he does not consider the state to be a part of India.

BJP MP Irani said, "The person who spoke before me... an indecent gesture was made... only a misogynistic man can give a flying kiss to Parliament which seats female Members of Parliament... such indecent act has not been witnessed by the House ever before. The entire country has seen the culture of the (Gandhi) family."

Gandhi, while leaving the House after participating in the debate, was booed at by the treasury benches. He then turned around and a blew a flying kiss.

BJP MP and Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje, one of the signatories to the complaint, said that after "blowing a flying kiss towards Smriti Irani and all women members, he went away". "This is totally misbehaviour of the member. This is inappropriate and indecent behaviour of a member," she said.

"Senior members are telling this has never happened before in the history of Parliament... flying kiss is being given in Parliament. So, we have filed a complaint with the speaker to take the CCTV (camera) footage and take action against the MP," Karandlaje said. (Agencies)