Anurag Thakur: ‘It is Rahul Gandhi’s arrogance that has led to his disqualification’

He said that in 2018, Rahul had given a written apology to the Supreme Court, and the court had categorically told him to exercise caution in the future. “But he has not learnt from the Supreme Court order,” Thakur.

“In this particular case, he had the opportunity to apologise (in court) and get away. But it is his arrogance and high-headedness that have led him to this point where he stands disqualified today,” the minister said, referring to the criminal defamation case in which the Congress leader was convicted last week.

On the Opposition’s allegations that Rahul has been disqualified purposefully to stop him from raising the Adani issue in Parliament, Thakur said, “The moment an MP or MLA stands convicted and gets a two-year jail, he gets disqualified. It is not for the Lok Sabha to decide and issue any order, it happens by default, he is immediately disqualified.”

Rahul had the remedy to go to a higher court to get a stay on the conviction, but again, he showed arrogance, Thakur said. “Despite being disqualified, you (Rahul) think you are bigger than the nation, Parliament, and law.”

Thakur further said that Rahul was always unfit for Parliament. “Ab yeh ayogya ho gaye hain (for Parliament), par yogya to yeh pehle bhi nahi the. His attendance is below average, and he has hardly participated in debates or raised questions for the common people,” he said.

“To top it all, he raises questions about the country on foreign soil. He called the Indian Army in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh an occupation force,” the minister said. “Those who need help from international forces go to foreign soil and tarnish India.”

The BJP leader said Rahul was convicted for something he said, a crime he committed, and this had nothing to do with the Adani issue that the Congress is trying to raise. “Tomorrow, he might be jailed for the National Herald case, or in any other defamation cases that he is out on bail for, his own offences can’t be connected to other issues, be it Adani or something else,” he said.

Thakur said the Congress would pay the price for Rahul’s arrogance and his comments after disqualification. His own party’s OBC (Other Backward Classes) leaders are refusing to stand up for him, fearing they will lose their vote bank while his Savarkar comments have upset the Shiv Sena, and even threatened their alliance. “Now, if Uddhav (Thackeray) is back in the same frame as Rahul, people will question his ideology and intention,” he said.

“Rahul’s own party’s MPs and MLAs in Maharashtra are upset with the Congress party,” he said.

On Priyanka Gandhi invoking Hindu deity Ram to counter BJP’s allegations of dynastic politics, Thakur said, “Those who never believed in Lord Ram and Ram Setu, and were against Ram Mandir, today they have the audacity to compare their own family with Lord Ram.”

On the Opposition’s accusation that the government is using agencies against their leaders, Thakur said, “They should not create political pressure to stop probe against them; if there are complaints, there will be an investigation, be it Lalu Prasad or K Kavitha or Manish Sisodia.”

On how his party is going to clear the air on the Adani issue, which has created a logjam in Parliament, Thakur said the government has nothing to hide. “The SBI made a statement, so did RBI, SEBI … even the Finance Minister made a statement,” he said, adding categorically that a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe remains out of question.

With the current Parliament session heading for a washout, Thakur said, “Budget has gone through, other Bills will be passed, but what Parliament stands for – debate, discussion, deliberation – that has not happened.”