New Delhi [India], August 18 (ANI): Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday accused Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, of failing to conduct himself in a manner befitting the office as the Monsoon Session of Parliament witnessed a deadlock between the ruling and opposition camps.
Speaking to ANI, Rijiju criticised the Congress party over repeated disruptions in Parliament, alleging that Opposition MPs were focusing on sloganeering and creating a ruckus instead of participating in debates.
Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi, he claimed that several Congress MPs approached him to get the Parliament to function.
The Union Minister said, "You have observed the parliamentary process from the start and seen how Rahul Gandhi conducts himself inside the House. Does he come across as a Leader of the Opposition? I have no personal issues with Rahul Gandhi; we interact and meet. However, a Leader of the Opposition must perform in a way that upholds the stature and dignity of the role; one has to speak in the House accordingly. As Rahul Gandhi has adopted a particular style, his MPs have started behaving in the same manner."
Amid recurring wash-out of business in Parliament, Rijiju called it a pattern for Congress to "create ruckus and hurl abuses."
He said, "When someone is determined not to work, no amount of persuasion will make a difference. This pattern has developed because of the Congress party. We aren't dealing with children whom we can drag in and force to sit down; the most we can do is request or plead with them. We repeatedly asked the Congress party to come to Parliament and debate, but they simply do not want to. It seems Congress MPs now believe their role is merely to create a ruckus, shout, and hurl abuses. If a Member of Parliament only wants to create a ruckus, what is the need for them to be an MP? They could just protest on the streets."
While the Congress demanded Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement on police action against protesters on July 20 at Jantar Mantar, Rijiju maintained that the ruling camp was ready for a discussion, accusing the opposition of "making excuses" to avoid the debate. He claimed that the Congress was "scared to face Parliament."
He said, "The Congress party got scared to face the Parliament. That is why they made the excuse of running away from the discussion. When the government was ready to answer every question and also to explain the circumstances and other details, the Congress party started running away, simply because they were not in a position to face the reality."
"We had been saying from day one that we wanted a discussion. But they simply refused to accept that; they were just making excuses. They started sloganeering even before the Parliament session began," he added.
Taking an aim at Rahul Gandhi, Rijiju added, "There is a 'brigade' created by Rahul Gandhi--whose only job is to create a ruckus and hurl abuses. The MPs who might actually want to voice their views have been reduced to mere cheerleaders for sloganeering. This isn't right; it isn't good for democracy."
The Union Minister also criticised Gandhi's public remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy and his interactions involving foreign leaders, saying that Rahul was himself turned into a "laughingstock" and instead damaged his own image.
"Rahul Gandhi tried to mock the Prime Minister in a theatrical manner, but in the end, he only succeeded in making a laughingstock of himself. He has severely damaged his own character; it will be difficult to recover from that," he said.
Rahul Gandhi faced strong criticism from the NDA for his remarks on PM Modi.
During the Ratchnatmak Congress National Convention on August 13, Gandhi said that the government's job is to protect the nation's interests rather than "hugging politicians". Taking a swipe at PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi hugged Congress leader Sandeep Dixit, who also made a remark about Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, which was met with uproar from the BJP.
Meanwhile, the Monsoon Session of Parliament, which began on July 20, was adjourned sine die after 19 sittings spread over 25 days -- a session in which 12 Bills were passed but only one, the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, was actually debated in the House.
The opposition flagged NEET-UG protests, the demand for Amit Shah's statement and the Ram Mandir donation embezzlement issue. (ANI)
"Congress scared to debate; LoP must uphold dignity of role": Kiren Rijiju lambasts Rahul Gandhi over ruckus in Parliament
