Storm in House over Kharge’s ‘dog’ remark; BJP says apologise, he doesn’t

Addressing a public meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Alwar on the sidelines of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Kharge had criticised the government over its refusal to allow a discussion in Parliament on the Chinese transgressions at the Line of Actual Control. Maintaining that the Opposition was only seeking a discussion in Parliament on the border issue, he had said “they talk like a lion outside, but their actions, if you see, are like a mouse.”

Accusing the government of misusing investigating agencies and trying to scare the Congress, Kharge said, “The Congress will never be cowed down. We fought for the country’s independence. Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi sacrificed their lives for the country’s unity… Leaders of our party laid down their lives… What have you done? Has even a dog in your house died for the country? Have you made any sacrifice? No. But still they are patriots, and if we say something we are called deshdrohi (anti-national).”

Raising the issue in the House, BJP members demanded an apology from Kharge even as the Congress members countered them, resulting in noisy scenes and prompting Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar to say he does not “appreciate such unruly scenes and chaotic behaviour in the House.”

Goyal said, “Kharge has made such an indecent speech in Alwar… The kind of language which was used was unfortunate… The way indecent language was used… the completely baseless things that he said… he tried to place untruths before the nation… I condemn it strongly and demand that he apologise to the BJP and the House, where the majority members are from the BJP.”

He said Kharge should also apologise to the people of the nation who had elected the BJP to power with an absolute majority.

“The BJP is now the world’s largest party. The kind of indecent language he used… which reflected his thinking… He exhibited jealousy. He can be jealous.. He can have differences with us… he can be jealous that his party got only 50 seats and we got 303 …he can be sad and jealous that nobody is accepting his party… but giving such an indecent speech is an insult to everyone… The House, the country and to every voter of the country… I condemn his conduct, behaviour and language…He should apologise and till then he has no right to be here,” he said.

Pointing out that Mahatma Gandhi, after Independence, had said that the Congress should be disbanded, he said Kharge’s behaviour shows what the Father of the Nation had said was true.

Amid slogan shouting by BJP members and repeated exhortations by the Chairman to Goyal to “control your people”, Kharge said his remarks were political and were made “outside the House” and there was no need to discuss that in the House.

“Secondly, I am still saying that they (BJP) had no role in the freedom movement… yeh maafi mangne wale log (these people who apologise)” he said, as the treasury benches rose in protest, interrupting him and demanding an apology from him.

Intervening, Dhankhar told members that they are setting a very bad example. “I can tell you people outside are disillusioned. This kind of display of conduct and behaviour gives us a very, very bad name… The 135 crore people of the country are laughing at us… They are worried… Have we reached such a level that we cannot listen to each other now… we are not children.” He then allowed Kharge to continue.

Amid the din, Kharge said, “If I repeat here what I had said outside… it will pose difficulties to these people because those people who had tendered apologies during the freedom movement are asking those who had fought for Independence to apologise.”

Reiterating that Indira and Rajiv had sacrificed their lives for the country, he asked, “Aap mei se kin logon ne desh ki ekta ke liye apne jaan di (who among you sacrificed life for the unity of the country)…This is what I had said… Isn’t it a fact?”

Countering him, Goyal said Kharge had perhaps forgotten that it was the Congress which was responsible for what had happened in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan, he said, still occupies Indian territory. China snatched away 38,000 sq km land from India when the Congress was in power, he said.