New Delhi [India], July 29 : Congress MP KC Venugopal on Wednesday defended party MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra over her remarks against Union Minister Prahlad Joshi, saying there was no personal attack and that the Congress was only raising issues concerning students and their parents.
Speaking to reporters here, Venugopal said the Congress was focused on the concerns of students across the country and accused the government of resorting to counter-allegations when it had no answers.
"There is no personal attack at all. We are debating the issue of students in this country with the utmost priority. Our concern is only for students and parents of this country. We are raising this issue. They didn't have an answer. When these people didn't have answers, they tried to have a counter-allegation. Let them do that. No issue. We will raise the issue of students," Venugopal said.
Earlier, Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla on Wednesday backed party Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's remarks targeting newly appointed Union Minister Prahlad Joshi, asserting that Joshi should not run away from his alleged past reactions regarding the Bilkis Bano convicts.
Speaking to ANI, Aujla alleged that Prahlad Joshi has neither spoken a word regarding the felicitation of the Bilkis Bano rapists nor made any comment on the matter.
"What Pralhad Joshi said is active on social media; perhaps he should first clarify whether it is actually him or not. So far, Pralhad Joshi has not said a word about the fact that the rapists of Bilkis Bano were honoured, nor has he made any comment on the matter. He hasn't offered any response at all. They get uncomfortable when this is raised in the House. Don't run away... Everyone knows that he honoured Bilkis Bano's rapists. If you hand over the Education Ministry to such a person, what message are you sending to the entire country?..." said Aujla.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also backed party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's remarks on Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi over his comments on the Bilkis Bano case, saying that speaking in favour of the perpetrators was "not good".
Speaking to reporters, Tharoor said, "Priyanka Gandhi has spoken on it. What he had said in the Bilkis Bano matter was bad. What happened to her was really sad. If you speak for her perpetrators, it is not good."
Meanwhile, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday dismissed allegations that her remarks inside the House were unparliamentary, standing firm by her recent comments targeting Union Minister Pralhad Joshi.
Speaking to reporters, Vadra asserted that her statements were grounded in documented facts and reflected what she termed a systemic attitude toward women, reiterating that she would not be intimidated by threats of parliamentary action or sanctions.
The Congress leader further cited past incidents, including the induction of an individual associated with the 2009 Mangalore pub assault into the BJP by Pralhad Joshi.
"What was unparliamentary about it? It was simply the truth. If they want to punish me for speaking the truth, well, I will speak the truth. You have seen that there are videos, and it is not just this instance. Who inducted the man into the BJP who was involved in the Mangalore pub assault on women? Pralhad Joshi did. He was expelled five hours later or whenever it was, but there is a photograph of him being inducted. It is not just a single incident, but it reflects his attitude towards women," she said.