Rahul hugs Modi, PM gives it back

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service 

New Delhi, July 20

A buoyant Congress president Rahul Gandhi, wrapping up his stringent 40-minute speech against the NDA government in the Lok Sabha, strode towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and gave him a hug on Friday. Startled and unnerved, the PM took a while to realise what had happened, and returned Rahul’s politically-loaded gesture with a pat and a handshake. 

The Congress leader sprinted to his seat and declared: “This is the meaning of being a Hindu. You can call me Pappu. You can hate me. But I have no anger in my heart for you or for the Prime Minister. I am thankful to the BJP and the RSS as they taught me the real meaning of my religion, of being a Hindu.” He left the treasury benches stunned.

A ballistic Rahul, participating in a debate on the no-trust motion against the NDA government, had the entire Opposition rallying behind him as he launched his fiercest attack ever on the PM, accusing him of “jumlas” and untruths and of benefiting businessmen in the Rafale deal. “You are not a chowkidaar. You are a bhaagidaar,” he roared, throwing the House into pandemonium.

Rahul’s “hug diplomacy” drew a huge applause from the anti-BJP camp with the Trinamool specially excited. The Congress leader embarrassed the ruling camp, saying they came to him and praised his speech. “Even Harsimrat Badal ji was smiling.” Provoked, the Union Minister hit back, saying Parliament was not a place for his “Munna bhai-type jhappi-pappi”.

Though the majority Opposition leaders hailed Rahul’s “Modi on Modi” act, not everyone was impressed with his theatrics. 

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan castigated him, saying, “Even I did not like it (the hug). There is certain decorum that we attach with the PM’s post. Inside the House, sitting in that seat, he is not Narendra Modi. He is the Prime Minister. Every member must maintain House decorum because no one else will... I have no enmity with Rahul ji. He is like my son but decorum is important,” she said as the House re-assembled after an adjournment forced by Rahul’s remarks against the PM.

As the Congress leader questioned the PM on the “benefits he extended to his business friend to the extent of crores in the Rafale deal”, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar cited rules to say no MP could level unsubstantiated allegations against anyone in the House.

The House was first adjourned at 1.35 pm until 1.45 pm when the Speaker returned to say she would expunge from Rahul’s speech whatever found unsubstantiated. A dissatisfied BJP, however, said it would  move a privilege motion against the Congress chief for “falsehood and misleading” Parliament. Rahul spoke aggressively, targeting the PM for “his political weapon of jumla strikes” — the promise on two crore jobs a year, Rs 15 lakh in every bank account and a “genuine” hike in MSP. 

“Everyone is a victim of PM’s jumla strike,” Rahul lashed out, also attacking BJP chief Amit Shah for alleged corruption by his son. With the debate becoming a Congress-BJP war, the focus shifted away from the genesis of the motion moved by TDP’s Jayadev Galla to seek “special category status” for Andhra.