New Delhi, 13 August (H.S.): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday alleged that Parliament’s Monsoon Session was undermined by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s “arrogance” and indiscipline. BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said democracy cannot function under an individual’s arrogance, sense of entitlement or pressure, and Parliament is governed by the same principles.

Addressing a press conference, Prasad said the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had introduced stringent measures to prevent irregularities in the NEET examination. These included a strong law to curb examination-related malpractice, provisions for fast-track courts and strict action against paper-leak syndicates. He also said that a high-powered committee headed by Nandan Nilekani had been constituted to recommend examination reforms.

Prasad, meanwhile, alleged that Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, along with his sister, sat outside the gates of the Prime Minister’s residence without permission, despite being fully aware of the security arrangements governing the premises.

He said Union Home Secretary and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Dr Jitendra Singh, had offered to engage with Rahul Gandhi in discussions, but Gandhi instead demanded the Home Minister’s resignation.

Prasad also criticised Gandhi’s reported remarks that Home Minister Amit Shah should resign if he had ordered the firing of weapons and that, if he had not issued such an order, he was an “incompetent minister”. Prasad termed the remarks irresponsible and disconnected from the facts.

The BJP leader said the government had already clarified that no firing had taken place. He further asserted that had the Opposition allowed Home Minister Amit Shah to make his statement in Parliament, its questions would have been answered. However, he alleged, the Opposition prevented the House from functioning.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar