Smriti Irani vs Rahul Gandhi in row over "Flying Kiss" in parliament

Mangalore Today News Network / NDTV

New Delhi, Aug 09, 2023: Union Minister Smriti Irani today alleged that Congress MP Rahul Gandhi blew a flying kiss while leaving parliament after his speech on the No-Confidence Motion.

"Only a misogynist man can blow a flying kiss to parliament that seats women MPs," Smriti Irani said, referring to Rahul Gandhi - who was reinstated in parliament yesterday.

 

Mr Gandhi’s action "lacked dignity", she charged.

BJP women MPs have complained to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla over Mr Gandhi’s alleged "indecent gesture", accusing him of insulting women.

Ms Irani later told reporters that parliament has never witnessed such "misogyny". "Never before has the "misogynistic behaviour" of a man been so visible in parliament. When the House of the people - where laws are made to protect the dignity of women - during the course of a session stands witness to a man’s misogyny, my question is should he be brought to task?," she asked while speaking to reporters.

BJP MP Poonam Mahajan, referring to the alleged flying kiss, told NDTV that Rahul Gandhi’s gesture at the end of the speech shows his upbringing is not "correct."

"All those sitting in the press gallery could also see what he did. His gesture was very shameful. When you are a member of parliament, you should know what kind of language to be used," she said.

Congress sources, however, said that Rahul Gandhi’s gesture wasn’t directed towards any particular member.

Rahul Gandhi today kicked off the second day of the No-Confidence Debate in the Lok Sabha today.

Launching scathing attack on the BJP-ruled Central government, Mr Gandhi said, "Manipur has been split in two. Government’s politics has murdered India in the state. You are not protectors of Bharat Mata, you are her killers."

"To listen to the nation’s voice, we will have to give up on arrogance and hatred," he said.

Ms Irani slammed the Congress MP over his accusation that the government had "killed Bharat Mata(India)" in Manipur.

She said it’s the first time when someone has made such a statement. "This is the first time that someone talked about the murder of India, and Congress leaders were thumping desks," Ms Irani said.

"You are not India because you define corruption in India, you define incompetence," the BJP MP said.

The Not-Confidence Motion was initiated by Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi yesterday. He said the Opposition bloc INDIA was forced to bring the No-Trust vote against the government to break Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s "vow of silence" on Manipur.

The Prime Minister will reply to the debate on Thursday. He chaired the BJP’s Parliamentary Party meeting yesterday ahead of the big vote. Taking a swipe at the INDIA coalition, the Prime Minister reportedly said that this is not a vote to express distrust in the government, but to see who can trust whom in the opposition. "It’s a test of their own internal trust," he reportedly said.

The session, which started on July 20, has been continually disrupted by Opposition protests. The opposition contends that in view of the 170-plus deaths, injuries and displacements of thousands of people since the ethnic violence broke out in May, there is nothing more urgent that can demand the Prime Minister’s attention.

Home Minister Amit Shah, during a discussion on the Delhi Services bill on Monday, had accused the Opposition of running away from a debate on Manipur. "The question is the  Manipur situation and what steps the government is taking there, not a show of strength by voting. If you want voting, I dare you to make this bill fall through voting," Mr Shah had said.