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BJP MP Kangana Ranaut on Thursday demanded that Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi apologise for his remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah
Speaking to reporters here over Gandhi's remarks alleging accountability of the Home Minister over the alleged police action during the July 20 student protests, Ranaut said such serious allegations could not be made without evidence. "He (Rahul Gandhi) has to apologise. You cannot spread lies like this and level such serious allegations against someone," the BJP MP told reporters. On the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, which is scheduled to be taken up in the Rajya Sabha, RJD MP Manoj Jha said the proposed legislation failed to address deeper structural issues in the education system. "It talks about prevention, not elimination. There is a difference between prevention and elimination... The fundamental demand of the students is about the architecture of education. The government does not have a basic understanding of it," Jha said. The reactions came amid a political storm over Rahul Gandhi's remarks targeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah following the alleged police action against student protesters at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on July 20. Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy backed Gandhi and rejected demands for an apology. "I support Rahul Gandhi. What he said is correct. There is no question of apologising," Roy said. BJP MP Shashank Mani Tripathi, however, criticised the Congress leader, saying the Leader of the Opposition should engage in constructive debate instead of making allegations. "I believe Rahul Gandhi needs to change his attitude. He is the Leader of the Opposition in the world's largest democracy. You do not present substantive points or offer analysis. You simply start making allegations, and when you are asked to speak, you do not speak," Tripathi said. Rahul Gandhi's remarks had triggered uproar in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accusing him of making "unsubstantiated" and "irresponsible" allegations against a senior Union minister. Speaker Om Birla also cautioned Gandhi against levelling personal charges without factual backing. Speaking to reporters after the Lok Sabha was adjourned, Gandhi defended his remarks, saying there were only two possibilities regarding the alleged police action. "There can be two possible scenarios. One is that the Home Minister issued the order. The second is that the Home Minister was unaware that firing would take place. In the first case, he is culpable; in the second, he is incompetent--it has to be one of the two; there is no third possibility," Gandhi said. (ANI)
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