Modi is a peddler of lies, must apologise to nation: Congress
New Delhi, July 15 : Terming Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "peddler of untruths", Congress on Sunday demanded an apology from him for calling it a "Muslim party".
It also challenged Modi to discuss his accusations against the Congress in Parliament during the Monsoon Session beginning this week.
"Prime Minister is the peddler of untruths and lies. He is lowering the dignity of office by distorting facts and misrepresenting history. He is desperate and has nothing to show for the last four years.
"Congress does not need certification of nationalism from somebody who are the descendants of not only non-participants of the freedom movement but also active collaborators of British," said senior Congress leader Anand Sharma.
Noting the Prime Minister is for "entire India and not only BJP", he said: "Congress has led nationalist movements and struggle for freedom. Calling the party a 'Muslim party' is not befitting of a PM. He has less knowledge of history. He writes his own history.
"With his statements, the PM not only disrespects history but also undermines the achievements of India. This sick mindset of his is an issue of national concern. He should apologise to the nation for making false statements and lying."
The Congress also appealed to Modi not to disrupt to the monsoon session of Parliament like the government did in the last session, but instead give "accounts of the promises he made in 2014".
"He doesn't have courage to have debates in Parliament and talk about his work. Be it on his promises on employment, MSP for farmers..all have been broken."
Asked about Modi saying Congress is interested only in the welfare of Muslim men and not women, Sharma said: "Since when has Modi become the protector of women.... The state (Uttar Pradesh) in which he was speaking is witnessing daily rapes. Even yesterday when he was giving the speech, a woman was gangraped in a temple and burnt alive... what action has he taken?"
"For him to say Congress is obstructing to enact a law in Parliament, is absolutely wrong. We are totally against triple talaq. But, when a bill comes in the parliament, there are some rules... Traditionally, the Standing Committee scrutinises it and only after that it is discussed and a law is enacted," he said, accusing the BJP of trying "their best to bypass the parliament so that there is no scrutiny.
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PM must clarify whether he endorses Sarma's 'utterly shameful' remarks on Kharge: Priyanka
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New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday said the use of "abusive" language by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is "utterly shameful" and added Prime Minister Narendra Modi must clarify whether he endorses this "insult".
Sarma had triggered a row on Tuesday when he hit out at Kharge, saying that he was "speaking like a mad man" due to old age, after the latter put the onus on central agencies to probe the charges made against the Assam chief minister.
In a post in Hindi on X, Priyanka Gandhi said, "The kind of abusive and derogatory language used by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma against the Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, is utterly shameful and unacceptable."
She said Kharge is one of the most senior leaders in the country and serves as an enlightened representative not only of the Congress party but also of the Dalits and the marginalised sections of the nation.
"By insulting him, the BJP chief minister has insulted crores of people across the country," she said.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi must clarify to the nation: does he endorse this insult directed at crores of Indians?" she said.
The Congress on Tuesday accused Sarma of insulting party chief Kharge and demanded an unconditional apology from him for his "deplorable conduct" that it alleged reflects the "anti-Dalit mindset" of the BJP.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday had said the use of "derogatory language" against party chief Mallikarjun Kharge by Sarma was an insult to the entire SC/ST community, and the silence of Prime Minister Modi on the matter "is not his helplessness, but his consent".
"If the prime minister sees an attack on the dignity of crores of Dalits in the country and does not speak up - he is not only shirking his responsibility, but is also a party to that insult," Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.
Gandhi said the use of "vulgar and derogatory language" by Sarma against Kharge "is entirely condemnable, shameful, and unacceptable".
"Kharge ji is a senior and popular Dalit leader of the country - his experience, stature, and prestige are unparalleled. Insulting him is not an insult to one individual alone, but also to crores of people from the SC-ST community in this country," he posted.
This, he said, just reflected the "old and premeditated mindset" of the BJP-RSS and was nothing new.
"Whether it is the insult to Babasaheb Ambedkar, belittling Dalit leaders, or personal attacks on representatives of the SC-ST community - the history of BJP and RSS bears witness that whenever a Dalit leader speaks the truth, they stoop to humiliate him," Gandhi said.
"This is their ideology, this is their true character and face," he added.
Posing a direct question to the prime minister, he asked, "Do you support Himanta Sarma's use of this language? Your silence is not helplessness, it is consent."
