Union Minister Smriti Irani slams Congress over Rahul Gandhi's 'murder of India' remark

Union Minister Smriti Irani said, “I condemn the behaviour that was displayed. This is the first time that someone talked about the murder of India, and Congress leaders were thumping desks.”

Union Minister Smriti Irani on August 9 came down heavily on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his "murder of India in Manipur" remark in Lok Sabha, saying this is for the first time in Parliamentary democracy that someone has made such a statement.

Speaking soon after Mr. Gandhi concluded his speech on the no-confidence debate in the House, the BJP member, who is Minister for Women and Child Development, said Manipur is an integral part of India.

"I condemn the behaviour that was displayed. This is the first time that someone talked about the murder of India, and Congress leaders were thumping desks," Ms. Irani said.

"Manipur is not divided, it is a part of this country. A member of his (Opposition) alliance said in Tamil Nadu that India only means north India. If he has the courage, Rahul Gandhi should comment on this... another Congress leader said there should be a referendum on Kashmir... Was the statement given as per the order of the Congress leadership that a leader talked about referendum in Kashmir?" she said.

"You are not India because you define corruption in India, you define incompetence... you are not India," the BJP MP said attacking the Congress.

Mentioning Mr. Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, she said, "I will not speak on joint pains... the valley that India has seen to be soaked in blood, (but) when they went there, they were playing with snow balls. That was possible after Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi abrogated Article 370." "He said he went on a yatra and gave assurance that they will restore Article 370... Article 370 will never be restored," Ms. Irani asserted.

She also recounted the horrors of the Emergency to attack the Congress, saying the party's history is smeared in blood. The BJP MP also raised the issues of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and the unrest in Kashmir during Congress regimes at the Centre.