Rahul Gandhi refuses to apologise for 'rape in India' remark; raises Modi's 'rape capital' jibe
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has refused to apologise for his "rape in India" comment made during a rally in Jharkhand.
Rahul Gandhi has termed BJP's objection as "a tactic to deflect attention from protests in North East".
Narendra Modi called Delhi a rape capital: Rahul Gandhi
"I have a clip on my phone in which Narendra Modi ji is calling Delhi a 'rape capital', will tweet it so that everyone can see. Just to deflect attention from protests in North East, this is being made an issue by BJP," Rahul Gandhi alleged.
Modi should apologise.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 13, 2019
1. For burning the North East.
2. For destroying India’s economy.
3. For this speech, a clip of which I'm attaching. pic.twitter.com/KgPU8dpmrE
Rahul Gandhi giving wrong message: Smriti Irani
In the Lok Sabha on Friday, Union Minister Smriti Irani demanded an apolgoy from Rahul Gandhi and said: "This is the first time in history that a leader is giving a clarion call that Indian women should be raped. Is this Rahul Gandhi's message to the people of the country?"
इतिहास में पहली बार हुआ कि गांधी खानदान का बेटा सरेआम कहता हो, आओ भारत में बलात्कार करो।
— BJP (@BJP4India) December 13, 2019
क्या राहुल गांधी कह रहे हैं कि भारत में हर पुरुष रेप करना चाहता है?
क्या राहुल गांधी का देश की जनता को संदेश है कि महिलाओं का रेप होना चाहिए?: श्रीमती @smritiirani #IndiansAreNotRapists pic.twitter.com/SMDmN8GWHE
Other BJP lawmakers in Lok Sabha stood and raised slogans demanding an apology from the former Congress president.
As soon as Speaker Om Birla paid tributes to the those who lost their lives in the 2001 Parliament attack, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal said several BJP members had given notices of adjournment against Gandhi's remarks and they be allowed to speak.
Meghwal said Gandhi's remarks in Jharkhand's Godda district on Thursday were condemnable and he should apologise in the House.
Meghwal said there had been precedents where members have apologised in the Lok Sabha for remarks made outside the House.
BJP MP Locket Chatterjee said Gandhi had insulted women by making remarks that 'Make in India' had become "rape in India". She said all men were not rapists.
(With agency inputs)
Also Read: Rahul Gandhi 'rape in India' comment 'disgusting': Smriti Irani
First published: 13 December 2019, 14:11 IST