Caught On Camera: Jairam Ramesh Corrects Rahul Gandhi's 'Unfortunate' Presser Gaffe; BJP Takes Swipe At Congress MP

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today launched a fierce attack on the BJP and Prime Minister Modi after he could not speak in the Lok Sabha. Addressing a press conference, the Wayanad MP said the BJP and PM Modi are afraid of Adani row and thus he was not allowed to speak in Parliament. He alleged that the drama around his remarks in the UK has been created by the government to divert attention from the Adani issue and asserted it is a "test of Indian democracy" as to whether he would be allowed to respond to the allegations by the BJP in Parliament.

However, the presser gave the BJP fresh ammunition against Rahul Gandhi after the Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh was caught on camera correcting a gaffe made by the former party president. Addressing the media, Rahul Gandhi said, "Unfortunately I am a Member of Parliament and I am hopeful I will be allowed to speak in Parliament." To this, Ramesh intervened and asked Rahul Gandhi to correct his statement. "Unfortunately I am a Member of Parliament...They can make a joke on it saying it's unfortunate for you," said Ramesh while advising Rahul Gandhi to correct his statement. After this, Rahul Gandhi said, "I want to make it clear. Unfortunately for you, I am a Member of Parliament and as the allegation has been made in Parliament..."

The BJP was quick enough to grab the opportunity and take a swipe at the Congress leader. "Well Jairam it is unfortunate for us that he is an MP in the August Parliament he so badly undermines & betrays. Sad that he can’t even make a statement without being coached! Wonder who coached him for his foreign intervention statement?" said BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala.

Well Jairam it is unfortunate for us that he is an MP in the August Parliament he so badly undermines & betrays..

Sad that he can’t even make a statement without being coached! Wonder who coached him for his foreign intervention statement? pic.twitter.com/wOO3nTZ7TO — Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) March 16, 2023

After Rahul Gandhi's press conference, the BJP insisted on an apology and asked him to "first demonstrate" his regret. The Congress leader met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking permission to speak in the House amid an impasse in Parliament over his comments in Britain on the state of democracy in India. Union ministers Piyush Goyal and Pralhad Joshi told reporters after another day of washout of parliamentary proceedings that not only MPs but the entire country is angry over his comments which gravely insulted not just Parliament but the entire nation.

प्रधानमंत्री अडानी के मुद्दे से डरे हुए हैं! वो नहीं चाहते मैं उनकी और उनके मित्र के रिश्ते की और पोल खोलूं।

देखते हैं वो कल संसद में मुझे बोलने देंगे या नहीं। pic.twitter.com/O6wdESqUbO — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 16, 2023

Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Gandhi said the question before the country is whether after four BJP leaders have made allegations about a member of Parliament, that person would be given the same space as them or he be "going to be told to shut up". In an apparent reference to the controversy over his remarks in the UK, Gandhi said this whole thing is about distraction, and claimed that the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are "scared" over the Adani issue and that is why they have "prepared this whole tamasha". (With PTI inputs)