Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju took an apparent swipe at Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Sunday, invoking the legacy of late former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to highlight the qualities of a "matured" opposition leader amid ongoing disruptions in the Lok Sabha during the Budget session.
Sharing an old video of Swaraj addressing the Lok Sabha ahead of the 2014 general elections, Rijiju emphasized her example, stating, "A matured Leader of Opposition can be very useful in smooth functioning of the house and in enriching parliamentary democracy." In the clip, Swaraj is heard stressing that political disagreements must not turn into personal hostility.
Rijiju's tribute coincided with Swaraj's birth anniversary. On social media, he wrote, “Remembering late Sushma Swaraj ji, Former Foreign Minister, & Leader of Opposition. A woman endowed with powerful oratory, the living symbol of sensitivity and service — on the birth anniversary of the revered Smt. Sushma Swaraj ji, countless salutations to her. Her memory and her ideals will forever continue to guide us.”
The remarks come against the backdrop of a tumultuous first phase of the Budget Session, marked by repeated adjournments due to clashes between opposition and treasury benches. Disruptions began on February 2 after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was disallowed by the Chair from quoting excerpts from former Army Chief M M Naravane's unpublished memoir, which referenced the 2020 India-China conflict.
On February 4, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was unable to deliver his response to the debate on the Motion of Thanks owing to opposition protests. In an unprecedented development the following day, February 5, the Speaker read out the Motion of Thanks to the President for her address, and it was passed by voice vote amid sloganeering from opposition members, bypassing the customary prime ministerial speech.
Earlier, Rijiju had warned the opposition, saying, "If the opposition doesn't allow the House to function, we will go for the guillotine. It will be a loss for them." He added, "We will bring some important bills, including one critical bill. We will not disclose now as to what the bill is, but we will bring up one very important business in the second part. We will pass all these bills."
