Smriti Irani slams Rahul for 'murder of Bharat Mata' remark

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.

Speaking after Gandhi during the debate on the no-confidence motion against the government, she also attacked the Congress, saying the party's members were clapping and thumping desks when the remark was being made.

"I condemn the behaviour that was displayed. This is the first time in Parliament's history that someone talked about the murder of Bharat Mata, and Congress leaders were thumping desks," the Bharatiya Janata Party MP said and asserted that Manipur is an integral part of India.

Launching a blistering attack against the BJP over the ethnic violence in the northeastern state, Gandhi alleged that its politics had 'murdered Hindustan' and 'Bharat Mata' in Manipur, and called members of the ruling party 'traitors'.

The minister for women and child development also trained guns at the Wayanad MP after he blew a flying kiss towards the treasury benches which were booing him while he was leaving the House.

"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," Irani said in the Lower House of Parliament.

Later, many women MPs of the BJP sought 'stringent action' against Gandhi in a complaint to Speaker Om Birla.

In the complaint, signed by more than 20 women parliamentarians, it was alleged that the Congress member made the 'inappropriate gesture' towards Irani when she was speaking in the House.

During the debate, Irani accused Congress leaders of supporting the idea of dividing India and said, "Manipur is not divided, it is a part of this country."

She said that 'a member of his (opposition) alliance said in Tamil Nadu that India only means north India. If he has the courage, Rahul Gandhi should comment on this... another Congress leader said there should be a referendum on Kashmir... Was the statement given as per the order of the Congress leadership that a leader talked about a referendum in Kashmir?'

"You are not India because you define corruption in India, you define incompetence... you are not India," the BJP MP said attacking the Congress.

Mentioning Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, she said, "I will not speak on joint pains... the valley that India has seen to be soaked in blood, (but) when they went there, they were playing with snow balls. That was possible after Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi abrogated Article 370."

"He said he went on a yatra and gave assurance that they will restore Article 370... Article 370 will never be restored," Irani asserted.

She also recounted the horrors of the Emergency to attack the Congress, saying the party's history is smeared in blood.

The BJP MP also raised the issues of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and the unrest in Kashmir during Congress regimes at the Centre.

Irani also said the government was ready to discuss the Manipur issue and alleged that the opposition was running away from a debate.