Rahul Gandhi’s First Speech as Leader of Opposition Sparks Political Uproar

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s first speech in the Lok Sabha as the Leader of Opposition on Monday has ignited a significant political controversy across India. During his address, Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the BJP and the RSS, leading to heated responses from the ruling party.

Despite portions of his speech being expunged, Gandhi’s remarks prompted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rise twice to counter his claims. While the opposition INDIA bloc, led by Congress, is largely supportive of Gandhi’s comments, he faces backlash from the ruling BJP, including Union Ministers and grassroots workers.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticized Gandhi, referencing the Emergency and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, and demanded an apology, arguing that Gandhi had no right to speak about non-violence. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also rebuffed Gandhi’s claims regarding the Agnipath scheme, which recruits Agniveers into the armed forces.

“I met the family of an Agniveer. I call him a martyr. There is no pension for him, there is no status of a martyr. You are creating differences between soldiers,” Gandhi stated. Singh responded by asserting, “The LoP should not mislead the House by giving false speeches. If an Agniveer dies during war or at the border, his family gets Rs 1 crore (as compensation).”

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticized Gandhi’s statements, urging the Speaker to take action against any unverified claims made in the House. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also condemned Gandhi’s remarks, particularly criticizing his comments on Ayodhya.

Gandhi’s speech, marked by aggression reminiscent of his campaign addresses, faced scrutiny as he was now speaking in Parliament as the Leader of Opposition, not to a crowd of Congress supporters. A senior Congress leader, speaking anonymously, noted that Gandhi’s tendency to think in English and speak in Hindi sometimes affects his delivery. Despite improvements over the years, the leader suggested that Gandhi still has more to learn.

A senior Samajwadi Party leader remarked that Gandhi’s speech was overloaded with various topics, which diluted its impact. Conversely, Congress MP from Faizabad, Awadhesh Prasad, defended Gandhi, emphasizing that his remarks targeted the BJP and RSS ideologies, not any specific community.

The political landscape remains charged as both sides continue to navigate the fallout from Gandhi’s controversial speech.