Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], August 25 : Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth on Monday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for distrusting key institutions, including the Constitution, Parliament, Election Commission, Enforcement Directorate (ED), and Income Tax department.
Seth also took issue with Rahul Gandhi's foreign trips, where he has made statements critical of India. He attributed the opposition's electoral setbacks to Rahul Gandhi's leadership, stating that the Indian voters have rejected him due to his policies and actions.
Speaking to ANI, Seth emphasised that the voters trust Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lead the country.
"The Opposition trusts no one, neither the Constitution, the Parliament, any agencies, Election Commission, the ED, nor the Income Tax. They raised questions against Operation Sindoor, the surgical strike and the air strike. That is the reason no one takes him (Rahul Gandhi) seriously. He speaks against the nation every time he is abroad... This is the reason the people of the country have made you sit aside... He is attacking the constitutional structure of the country... The Indian voters trust PM Modi..." Seth told ANI.
This comes after Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in an interview with ANI, raised questions over the moral stance of Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, asking whether it has shifted after losing three consecutive elections.
Shah referred to the incident in 2013 when the Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi had 'torn' an ordinance brought by then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to reprieve Lalu Prasad Yadav, contrasting it with his current resistance to the proposed bill to remove the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and Cabinet Ministers jailed for more than 30 days.
Amit Shah inquired, "Why did Rahul Ji tear the ordinance that Manmohan Singh brought to protect Lalu Ji? If there was morality that day, then what happened now? Just because you have lost three consecutive elections? Morality's standards are not connected with victory or loss in elections. They should be steady like the Sun and the Moon."
The ordinance gave convicted lawmakers a three-month reprieve to retain their seats following Lalu Prasad Yadav's conviction in the Fodder Scam. It effectively negated a Supreme Court order on the disqualification of convicted MPs and MLAs and was later withdrawn.
Amit Shah expressed confidence that the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, will be passed, despite the opposition's fierce criticism.
The bill proposes the automatic removal of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and Ministers if they are arrested and detained for 30 consecutive days on charges punishable by five years or more imprisonment.
The bill has been referred to a JPC for detailed scrutiny, comprising 31 members from both houses of Parliament. The committee will examine the bill and provide recommendations before it is put to vote.
Speaking to ANI, Amit Shah defended the bill, stating it's aimed at upholding "constitutional morality" and public trust, emphasising that the bill would apply equally to all leaders, including those from the ruling party."I am sure it will be passed. There will be many people in the Congress party and in the opposition who will support morality and maintain the moral ground...," he said.
Amit Shah also contrasted BJP's direct public interaction with Congress's outreach programs led by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi saying that there is a "big difference" between the two.
The Home Minister said, "There is a big difference between managing a program and communicating with the public."Shah also tore into the Congress saying that the party seeks to create "illusions" and faces growing "frustration" after electoral defeats.
He said, "They (Congress) want to create a kind of illusion among the people. And they will definitely not succeed, because our direct interaction with the people is many times greater than theirs. We talk to the people. We haven't just come here and sat by chance. After losing three elections, I think the level of frustration is such that the normal sense of judgment, he (Rahul Gandhi) has lost it."