New Delhi: It was perhaps for the first time in the history of Indian Parliament that the president of the main opposition party walked across the Lok Sabha hall to hug the Prime Minister.
In a photo-op that will be recalled for years to come, Congress president Rahul Gandhi gave a surprise hug to PM Narendra Modi after a blistering attack on the government in a speech that was the sharpest Rahul Gandhi has ever delivered.
At one point, he even said, “The whole country has seen, I’ve spoken clearly about PM and now he cannot look me in the eyes,” leading Narendra Modi to break into a smile.
Gandhi was referring to the charges he had made against the Defence Minister that she had lied about there being a pact of secrecy between India and France on the Rafale jet deal.
“I met the French President and asked him whether such a pact or clause existed, he said no such clause existed...What explains the escalation in cost from Rs 520 crore in UPA to Rs 1600 crore in their tenure.” He alleged that private individuals had benefited from the Rafale deal.
Rahul Gandhi’s speech, which went on for over 45 minutes, was full of such provocations and theatrics. At one point he even claimed, after an interruption of a few minutes, that not just opposition leaders but even BJP’s own leaders had privately commended him on his speech.
Having got “Suit boot ki sarkaar” in currency earlier, he tried his hand at “Jumla strike” while leading Congress’ charge in the Lok Sabha during the trust vote debate.
Being chided both on social media as well as in Parliament for his ‘earth-shaking speech’, which was a reference to his claim made earlier this year in April, “15 minute de dein, khare nahin ho payenge Lok Sabha mein (Give 15 minutes, Modi will not be able to face the Lok Sabha)”.
Rahul Gandhi opened his speech describing how India was being bombarded with “this weapon called the 'jumla’ strike. The kisan (farmers), Dalits, tribals, youths and women are all victims of this weapon”.
He added, “Symptoms of the jumla strike include: First there is a great sense of excitement and happiness. After that there is shock and then followed by regret.”
Over the next half an hour, Gandhi spoke about lack of jobs, Doklam crisis, demonetisation, and attacks on Dalits, minorities, and women.
“Those who earned money with medium and small businesses, you robbed them. It's a reality that you can't change. You go and help bigwigs, but when it comes to poor, you fail to do anything," said Rahul Gandhi.
While China was creating 50,000 jobs an hour, Gandhi said Modi government was creating 400 jobs an hour. He also said that while Indian soldiers had given a befitting response to Chinese aggression in Doklam, Modi had simply ceded to Chinese demands and not made Doklam an issue during his visit to China, “insulting the soldiers.”
“Daro mat,” Gandhi said while being interrupted, several times, “Sachai se daro mat”.
Rahul Gandhi also said that it was the first time in Indian civilisation’s 1000-year-old history that it was garnering a reputation for not being able to protect its women.
“I challenge the Prime Minister to speak on atrocities against minorities, tribals, Dalits and women. Instead of punishing the oppressors, the leaders are garlanding people committing such crimes. PM should address the country and tell what’s in his heart.”
At the end of his speech, Gandhi said, “We are okay to lose power, being in power and out of power. But the PM and President of BJP can simply not afford to lose power. They know if they do, other processes will start against them. This leads to anger which is being trickled down all through the nation.”
He added, “You might think that I am angry against the PM. But it is he, the RSS and the BJP, who made me realise what it is to be a Congress worker, what it is to be Indian. You taught me what it is to be a Hindu. I am Congress and I will turn all of you into Congress.”
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