Rijiju seeks apology from Rahul, Kharge in Parliament for Congress workers’ ‘threat’ to PM Modi

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday sought an apology from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for their party workers' alleged threat to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's life.

At a hurriedly called press conference here, Rijiju alleged that at Sunday's Congress rally in the national capital, some party workers had threatened to dig the grave of the Prime Minister, which was the "most unfortunate and tragic" thing to happen in Indian democracy.

"Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi should tender an apology for the Congress workers' threat to the life of the Prime Minister. They should tender the apology on the floor of both Houses of Parliament. It is most unfortunate and tragic that Congress workers openly declared to dig the grave of Prime Minister Modi," he said.

The parliamentary affairs minister said the workers and leaders of the Congress and the BJP are political rivals, not enemies. "We propagate different ideologies but work together for a developed India," he said.

Rijiju said the political leaders wish each other in public despite political fights, which are separate issues, and leaders criticise each other in different ways.

"We oppose each other differently. We never think of killing each other, nor do we talk about that. What kind of mentality is this? What kind of practice is this where some people are threatening to kill political rivals openly?" he said.

Rijiju said Modi is the prime minister of 140 crore people, the prime minister of the largest democracy in the world.

"The whole world respects PM Modi, the whole of India respects PM Modi. But if some people in the opposition threaten to kill the prime minister, it is most unfortunate and tragic. It will not end by just condemning the incident.

"In Parliament, the Congress president (Kharge) and the Leader of Opposition (Rahul Gandhi) should tender an apology. They should tender an apology to the country on the floor of Parliament," he said.

Rijiju said if there is any humanity left in the Congress and if they respect the people of the country, they should immediately tender an apology in both houses of Parliament.