“They have murdered India in Manipur,”: Rahul Gandhi criticizes BJP in Lok Sabha

In a scathing attack in Lok Sabha on the ruling BJP on the Manipur situation, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged they “murdered India in Manipur” and were “traitors not patriots”.

Rahul Gandhi, who was the first speaker as the no-confidence debate resumed on Wednesday in the House, also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over ethnic violence in Manipur.

Referring to BJP which is in power both at the Centre and in Manipur, he said, “you killed Bharat Mata in Manipur”.

The Congress leader referred to his visit to Manipur and his meetings with victims of violence in the state and said ‘Bharat’ is voice of people of the country and that “voice was killed in Manipur”.

“Bharat ek awaaz hai, Bharat hamari janta ki awaaz hai, dil ki awaaz hai. Uss awaaz ki hatya aapne Manipur mein ki. Iska matlab Bharat Mata ki hatya aapne Manipur mein ki…You killed India by killing the people of Manipur. You are a traitor, you are not a patriot,” Rahul Gandhi said.  

“They killed India in Manipur. Not just Manipur but they killed India. Their politics has not killed Manipur, but it has killed India in Manipur. They have murdered India in Manipur,” he added.

Rahul Gandhi said the Prime Minister has not visited the northeastern state since it witnessed violence.

“A few days back, I went to Manipur. Our PM didn’t go, not even to this day, because for him Manipur is not India,” Gandhi alleged.

BJP members strongly objected to Rahul Gandhi’s accusations and his using ‘Bharat Mata’ for his allegations in relation to Manipur situation.

Speaker Om Birla said that the members should show respect while using the expression ‘Bharat Mata’.   

Rahul Gandhi also spoke about his Bharat Jodo Yatra.

“…Initially, when I started (the Yatra), I had in my mind that walking 25 km is no big deal if I can run 10 km every day. Today, when I look at that – it was arrogance. I had arrogance in my heart at that time. But India erases arrogance, erases it in a second. So, within 2-3 days, my knees started hurting, it was an old injury. In the first few days, the wolf became an ant. Jo Hindustan ko ahankar se dekhne nikla nikla that wo poora ka poora ahankar gayab ho gaya…”Gandhi said.

It was first speech of Rahul Gandhi since his reinstatement as member of the House after his disqualification following conviction by a Gujarat court in a defamation case.       

Gandhi also took potshots at the government over Congress allegations concerning the Adani-Hindenburg row.

“Speaker Sir, first of all, I would like to thank you for reinstating me as an MP of the Lok Sabha. When I spoke the last time, perhaps I caused you trouble because I focussed on Adani – maybe your senior leader was pained…That pain might have had an impact on you as well. I apologise to you for that. But I spoke the truth. Today, my friends in BJP need not be scared because my speech today is not on Adani…” Gandhi said.

It was first speech of Rahul Gandhi since his reinstatement as member of the House after his disqualification as member following conviction by a Gujarat court in a defamation case.       

The Supreme Court last week stayed Rahul Gandhi’s conviction in the criminal defamation case over Modi surname remark. He was reinstated as member of  Lok Sabha on Monday.

The Lok Sabha took up debate on no-confidence motion against the government on Tuesday.