Parliament Winter Session: Row over Congress chief’s ‘mouse’, ‘dog’ remarks

Goyal demanded an apology from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over his remarks.

“Mallikarjun Kharge should apologise for using offensive language in Alwar,” said Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in Rajya Sabha.

However, Kharge refused and insisted that the remarks were made outside Parliament and should not be discussed in the House.

“What I said during Bharat Jodo Yatra in Rajasthan’s Alwar was outside the House. What I said was politically outside the House, not inside. There is no need to discuss that here. Secondly, I can still say that they had no role in the freedom struggle,” said  Mallikarjun Kharge in Rajya Sabha.

Kharge said, “If I repeat what I said outside it would be difficult for them. You are asking an apology from those who fought for the country’s Independence. They accused the Congress of holding ‘Bharat Todo Yatra’, to which I responded by saying that Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi gave their lives for the country. Who has given life from your side (saffron party)?”

Goyal said the Congress leader has no right to make such a statement as he does not remember history. He does not recall what happened in Jammu and Kashmir, and how China took over 38,000 km land from India during their regime.

At a rally in Rajasthan on Monday, Kharge said that the Congress got the country Independence, and several of our leaders, including Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, gave sacrifices, Kharge said.

“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 chief said.

“They (BJP government) talk like a lion outwardly, but if you see they act like a mouse. We want that the issue be discussed and give notices, but they are still not ready for a discussion in Parliament,” he said.