Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Friday said that rights and privileges of Rahul Gandhi were violated by Union Health Minister Dr Harsha Vardhan during the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, who instead of replying to the question asked by Waynad MP, started "accusing" him for his comments made "outside Parliament."
"Today, our leader Rahul Gandhi ji has been listed to ask questions in the House. When his turn came, as per the procedure of Parliament, he stood up and mentioned the serial number of the question. But much to our bewilderment, the concerned minister Harsha Vardhan ji in his reply ... he started accusing Rahul Gandhi of his comments made outside parliament, which does not have any relation with the content of the question," he said while addressing a press conference here.
"Being a senior minister of the NDA government, he must have known that the answer should be given against the questions that are asked. But he got wide off the mark and started abusing Rahul Gandhi ji. To that point of time, we strongly protested by saying that -- Minister, it is incumbent upon you to answer the pertinent question," the Congress leader added.
Chowdhury wondered if the entire exercise was "well planned" and deliberate.
"To the astonishment of all of us, the moment Rahul Gandhi asked the question, the Minister started rolling out some papers and accusing and abusing Rahul ji as if the entire exercise by the Minister was pre-meditated, deliberate, well planned. Otherwise, why he would have replied in such a manner which does not have any kind of relevance with the question that was asked by our leader," said Chowdhury.
The Congress leader, however, admitted that his party leaders became emotionally upset and rushed to the Well of the House.
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"We must admit that when the concerned minister was accusing Rahul ji of an issue which does not have even any remote relation with the question asked, our members got emotionally upset and rushed to the Well," he said.
He demanded that the Health Minister should apologise for the incident.
"We lodged a protest to Speaker Om Birla that the right and privilege of Rahul Gandhi should not be trampled upon in such a brazen manner because he was the owner of the question and he has every right and privilege to ask the question. So we have lodged our protest with the Speaker while demanding that Minister concern should beg apology inside parliament," he said.
Earlier in the day, Rahul said the "orchestrated" ruckus that took place in Parliament today, was designed to prevent him from questioning the Narendra Modi government.
Taking to Twitter, he said: "The orchestrated ruckus in Parliament today was designed to prevent me from questioning the Govt. The youth of (photo of Indian Flag) can clearly see that the PM has no clue about how to tackle the unemployment crisis. To protect him, the BJP will keep disrupting Parliament, preventing debate."
The Lok Sabha was adjourned over Gandhi's statement that youth will hit Prime Minister Modi with sticks if he is unable to address the issue of unemployment in the country.
"The Prime Minister is delivering speeches now, but six months later, he will not be able to even leave his home. The youth of India will beat him up with sticks and make him understand that this country will not be able to make progress until jobs are provided to them," the Congress leader had said while addressing a rally for the party candidates in Delhi polls.
BJP MP Jagdambika Pal had alleged earlier that Congress MP Manickam Tagore had charged towards Union Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan in the Lower House.
"Union Minister Harsh Vardhan was speaking in the Lok Sabha on Rahul Gandhi's statement when Congress MP Manickam Tagore charged towards him. It is an unfortunate event for democracy," he said.
Gandhi has dismissed allegations about the attack on Dr Vardhan by Tagore and added that it was his MP who was rather attacked.
"There is an issue in Wayanad about not having a medical college. So, I wanted to raise the issue. The BJP obviously doesn't like it if I speak. We are not allowed to speak in Parliament. See visuals, Manickam Tagore didn't attack anyone. Rather he was attacked," he had said.
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