New Delhi [India], August 23 : Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday accused Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi of speaking "nonsense" to grab headlines in the news.
"In any election, people support those who work in the national interest. Rahul Gandhi speaks anaap shanaap (nonsense) to grab headlines. This will not convert into a vote bank," Rijiju said in an exclusive interview to ANI.
The Union Minister further charged the opposition party of indulging in "anti-national" activities by attacking democracy and criticising constitutional institutions such as the Supreme Court and the Election Commission of India (ECI).
"Had I been in his place, I would have asked questions of national interest to the government. The BJP will not always remain in power. They ran the country for 60 years, then we had the chance. We have had very little time," Rijiju said.
The Union Minister asserted that the people of the country will never bring Congress to power.
"The people gave us a chance to run the government. The Congress will also have an opportunity if it refrains from attacking constitutional institutions, including the courts and the Election Commission. The way they do anti-national activities, attack the democracy, the people of the country will never bring Congress to power," Rijiju added.
When asked about the upheaval over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, Rijiju argued that Congress and its allies lost in the Maharashtra elections and are now apologising for publishing wrong data.
"The Congress and its allies lost badly in the Maharashtra elections. They requested that the Election Commission conduct a voter revision and that false names be removed. They demanded it. The Maharashtra data proved to be wrong, and the ones who published the data are apologising. Now, someone has given Rahul Gandhi a note on what to speak. He got lost while talking," the Union Minister said.
"If Rahul Gandhi cannot speak or he does not know how to speak, that does not mean that others should also not be allowed to speak." "With folded hands, we have requested the Congress party to participate in the discussion. There are many members of Congress who can speak well and are also knowledgeable. They will face issues if I name anyone... If Rahul Gandhi cannot speak or he does not know how to speak, that does not mean that others should also not be allowed to speak," he added.
With the monsoon session of Parliament having witnessed continuous disruptions by opposition over their demands, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Saturday that he made constant efforts to urge and convince Congress and other opposition parties to allow discussion in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, but to no avail.
"Mera gala bhi baith gaya dekho. Opposition ko chilla chilla ke mai anurodh karta hoon ki behas hone dijiye. (My throat got sore, I repeatedly urged opposition to allow discussion," he said.
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha faced continuous disruptions during the monsoon session over the opposition's demand for a discussion on the SIR of the electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar.