Mumbai, July 2 (IANS): The ruling Mahayuti and Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi came in direct confrontation outside the Maharashtra Legislature on Tuesday over Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi’s statements in the Lok Sabha on Monday.
Legislators from both sides shouted slogans against each other, with Mahayuti members carrying placards condemning LoP Rahul Gandhi’s speech, demanding an apology to all Hindus and raising Hindutva slogans.
On the other side, MVA legislators shouted slogans defending MP Rahul Gandhi and against the BJP for its alleged "false Hindutva to divide people and grab Hindu votes.”
The Congress’ Leader of Opposition (Assembly) Vijay Wadettiwar and the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Leader of Opposition (Council) Ambadas Danve slammed the Mahayuti in Maharashtra and the ruling NDA at the Centre.
“The BJP, which had suspended 150 MPs from the Lok Sabha has no authority to teach Uddhav Thackeray or me about Parliamentary rules and laws,” said Danve.
Making a spirited defence of the Congress leader, Wadettiwar said that Rahul Gandhi’s speech was on the Constitution and “he did not utter a word against Hindutva”, but the “BJP was creating a fake narrative to point fingers at others.”
Referring to demands for his resignation from the Mahayuti legislators, Danve said that “they are free to ask the (Legislative Council) Chairperson for the same”, or approach the courts.
Recalling Rahul Gandhi’s speech Wadettiwar pointed out that “violence was not a part of Hindu culture nor was it the BJP’s monopoly and while Hinduism teaches tolerance, equality for all, the BJP is creating religious and social divides to grab Hindu votes.”
On the expletives hurled by him in the House on Monday, Danve said that suddenly the BJP leaders have remembered rules and laws, and retorted by asking “what do they know about Hindutva and how do they claim to give lessons on Hinduism to others?”
“I am a Shiv Sainik and I reply in a Shiv Sainik style… Let them do whatever they want…” declared Danve, on the clamour for his apology and sacking as LoP.
Wadettiwar added that the BJP was rattled because Rahul Gandhi exposed them and the RSS’ Manusmriti to achieve the objectives of making communities fight and grab Hindu votes, though it is against Hindutva tenets.
In New Delhi, SS(UBT) MPs Sanjay Raut and Priyanka Chaturvedi put up a strong defence of LoP Rahul Gandhi and said that "he proved to be 'bhaari' for the PM and eight other BJP heavyweights" in Parliament on Monday.