LS witnesses clash as Pralhad Joshi accuses Congress of following fake Gandhi, party stages walkout

New Delhi: Congress and some other Opposition parties protested in the Lok Sabha on Monday over the controversial remarks of BJP lawmaker Anantkumar Hegde relating to Mahatma Gandhi as Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said BJP members were his real followers and accused Congress of being followers of "fake Gandhi" - Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.  

The verbal clash took place during Zero Hour with the Opposition raising slogans and staging a walkout. Apart from Congress, members of NCP, DMK and Trinamool Congress also staged a walkout.  

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Raising the issue, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that protests were being held all over the country against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) in a peaceful manner following the path of non-violence shown by Mahatma Gandhi.

He said "abuse" was being hurled at Mahatma Gandhi, who is respected all over the world.

"They are criticising the worshipper of Lord Ram. He is like a father to the whole world," Chowdhury said, referring to the treasury benches.

As Speaker Om Birla called other members to raise their issues, Congress and other Opposition members started raising slogans against the government.

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Joshi said the BJP leaders had taken out foot marches to coincide with the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

"They are unnecessarily making an issue," he said.

The minister said the concerned member had conveyed that he had said "nothing like that" and had been told to express regret. 

"BJP people - we are the real followers of Mahatma Gandhi. These people are followers of fake Gandhi - Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi," he said.

Chowdhury said they had not expected such remarks from Joshi about party leaders.

Joshi, however, retorted and said both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were on bail. "What are you talking?" he asked.

Chowdhury said they were walking out as the government was "defending" the remarks of Hegde.  

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Hegde, who is Lok Sabha MP from Uttara Kannada, had said the entire freedom movement was "staged with the consent and support of the British".

He made the remarks while addressing a public event in Bengaluru on Saturday.

"None of these so-called leaders were beaten up by the cops even once. Their independence movement was one big drama. It was staged by these leaders with the approval of the British. It was not a genuine fight. It was an adjustment freedom struggle," he had said.

The BJP leader also termed Mahatma Gandhi's hunger strikes and satyagraha a "drama".

"People supporting Congress keep saying that India got independence because of the fast unto death and satyagraha. This is not true. The British did not leave the country because of satyagraha," he had said.

"Britishers gave independence out of frustration. My blood boils when I read history. Such people become Mahatma in our country," Hegde had said.  (ANI)

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