Union Minister Giriraj Singh demands sedition case against Rahul Gandhi

Union minister Giriraj Singh demanded on Monday that Rahul Gandhi be charged with sedition for allegedly insulting Parliament during his visit to the United Kingdom earlier this month.

“Rahul Gandhi in London said that MPs were not allowed to speak in Parliament. This is an insult to Lok Sabha. The House Speaker should take action against him on this statement, ” Singh said. “A sedition case should be registered against him for insulting our democracy,” the minister said.

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned shortly after reconvening after a break due to protests on Monday. Piyush Goyal, the leader of the Upper House, targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for recent remarks in London, sparking heated debate between the Treasury and Opposition benches. Earlier in the Lok Sabha, defence minister Rajnath Singh demanded that Rahul Gandhi apologise publicly to the House.

“Rahul Gandhi, who is a member of this House, insulted India in London. I demand his statements be condemned by all members… he should be asked to apologise,” Singh said.

While addressing a lecture at Cambridge University in London recently, Rahul Gandhi has said, “Everybody knows and it’s been in the news a lot that Indian democracy is under pressure and under attack. I am an Opposition leader in India, we are navigating that (Opposition) space. The institutional framework which is required for a democracy Parliament, free press, the judiciary, just the idea of mobilisation, moving around all are getting constrained. So, we are facing an attack on the basic structure of Indian democracy.”

After a month’s break, the second half of Parliament’s Budget session resumed today. The first half of the Budget session was also disrupted and adjourned several times due to Opposition protests and demands for a JPC investigation into the Adani issue.