Interesting scenes played out in the Parliament complex on Wednesday when Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi walked up to two ministers who were addressing reporters on his allegations in the Lok Sabha earlier in the day. The Congress MP cheekily said, "Come, let's do it together", nearly grabbing one of the ministers by the arm, prompting them to abandon the press briefing and walk away.
A video shows Gandhi making his way to where Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and Ashwini Vaishnaw were speaking to mediapersons and saying the Leader of the Opposition should have "authenticated facts" before making allegations on the US trade deal, Epstein files and other issues in the Lok Sabha.
"I'll also come and say hello," Gandhi says and tries to hold Joshi's arm as the BJP leader immediately starts to walk away. "Come, let's stand together, let's do it together," he exhorts the ministers as his aides and sister and fellow MP Priyanka Gandhi laugh.
After the ministers leave, the reporters turn their attention to the Leader of the Opposition and tell him that the BJP leaders had been talking about him making unsubstantiated allegations.
"No, I have the data. Hardeep Puri and Anil Ambani's names are in the Epstein files. There is direct pressure on the Prime Minister. Without pressure, no Prime Minister will do this (kind of trade deal with the US). What has happened with farmers, with data, energy security, no PM would do this in a normal situation," he said.
"Somebody has a chokehold on him," he added, repeating a charge he made in his speech.
Congress leaders were quick to jump on the incident, saying the two ministers had "bolted at full speed".
Posting the video, senior leader Supriya Shrinate wrote on X: "BJP ministers Prahlad Joshi and Ashwini Vaishnaw were saying in front of the media: 'Rahul Gandhi should authenticate before making allegations'. Rahul ji arrived and said, 'Let's talk together'. The two bolted from there at full speed!"
Participating in the discussion on the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha earlier in the day, Gandhi had used a mixed martial arts analogy and said the PM was in a "chokehold".
"Why has he (the PM) sold India? Because they (the US) are choking him. They have a grip on his neck," said Gandhi.
'Elements of Buffoonery'
Trashing the Congress MP's allegations, the BJP said they were figments of his imagination.
"No one can dare to sell the nation ('Koi maai ka laal paida hua nahin, jo desh ko bech sakta hai')," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said, adding, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the most powerful person that the country has seen till date."
Minister Hardeep Singh Puri also rubbished Gandhi's claims and described his remarks as having "elements of buffoonery".
"What Rahul Gandhi does has a lot of entertainment value. On one hand, you have leaders who dedicate their lives to transforming the country and work around the clock, and then you have elements of buffoonery," he jeered.
