A recent incident involving Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the Indian Parliament has sparked controversy and drawn criticism from political circles. After delivering his first speech since being reinstated as a Member of Parliament, Gandhi reportedly blew a flying kiss towards BJP MPs as he exited the Lok Sabha premises. While not captured on camera, the incident has ignited a heated debate, with Union Ministers and MPs condemning the gesture as inappropriate and disrespectful.
THE UNSEEN GESTURE
During the session, as Rahul Gandhi left the Lok Sabha premises following his no-confidence motion speech, he accidentally dropped some files. While picking them up, some BJP MPs reportedly laughed at him. Witnesses claim that in response, Gandhi blew a kiss in the direction of the BJP MPs, an action not captured on camera.
REACTIONS AND CRITICISM
The incident has led to intense criticism, particularly from Union Minister Smriti Irani and Union Agriculture Minister Shobha Karandlaje. Irani labelled the gesture as misogynistic, emphasizing that only someone with a disregard for women would engage in such behaviour. She condemned the act as obscene and stated that it was unprecedented within the parliamentary context. Karandlaje went further, filing a complaint with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, terming Gandhi’s behaviour as inappropriate.
DEMAND FOR ACTION
In response to the incident, many women MPs, especially from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), expressed their concern and disapproval. They signed a complaint letter addressed to the Lok Sabha Speaker, demanding strict action against Rahul Gandhi for what they perceived as an indecent and offensive gesture. The complaint highlighted the alleged inappropriate behaviour directed towards Smriti Irani and called for measures to address such conduct.
The flying kiss gesture by Rahul Gandhi towards BJP MPs upon leaving Parliament has ignited a fiery debate surrounding the appropriate conduct of elected representatives. The incident, though not captured on camera, has led to accusations of disrespect and inappropriate behaviour. The swift and strong reactions from Union Ministers and fellow MPs, especially female representatives, highlight the sensitivity of such actions within the parliamentary setting. This incident underscores the need for decorum, respect, and gender sensitivity in political discourse and interactions, and its repercussions are likely to have lasting implications on the discourse surrounding parliamentary behaviour.
