Chaos in Rajya Sabha over Congress chief's 'dog' remark; BJP demands apology
"Has even your dog at home died for the country? Still, they claim to be patriots and if we say something we are termed as deshdrohi (anti-nationals)," the Congress president had said.
FollowParliament on Tuesday (December 20) witnessed a huge row as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded an apology from the Congress over remarks by its chief Mallikarjun Kharge. On Monday, Kharge pointED that the BJP had not lost anyone in the freedom movement though the Congress had sacrificed many.
Addressing the gathering in Rajasthan's Alwar, Kharge said that the Congress won independence for the country, and its leaders, including Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, sacrificed their lives.
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"Has even your dog at home died for the country? Still, they claim to be patriots and if we say something we are termed as deshdrohi (anti-nationals)," the Congress president had said.
To this, the BJP raised strident calls for an apology as soon as the day began in parliament.
"Mallikarjun Kharge should apologise for using offensive language in Alwar," said Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in Rajya Sabha.
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As the demand triggered chaos in the House, Vice President and Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said the comment was made outside parliament.
"The country's 135 crore people are watching us. It is possible that someone got carried away and said something outside... You are not children," he said.
The Congress president doubled down on his comments and said, "Those who fought for the country's independence - you are asking them to apologise?"
