New Delhi:
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi has bluntly refused to apologise for his ‘rape in India’ remark amid huge uproar in Parliament on Friday. Led by Union Minister Smriti Irani, the BJP demanded the Wayanad MP to apologise for his remark. In fact, Irani went on to say that, “This is first time in history that a leader is giving a clarion call that Indian women should be raped. Is this Rahul Gandhi's message to the people of the country?” Locket Chatterjee, another BJP lawmaker, slammed Gandhi and said, “Modi ji said 'Make in India' but Rahul ji said 'rape in India', he is welcoming everybody that come and rape us..this is an insult to Indian women and to Bharat Mata.”
Modi should apologise.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 13, 2019
1. For burning the North East.
2. For destroying India’s economy.
3. For this speech, a clip of which I'm attaching. pic.twitter.com/KgPU8dpmrE
However, Gandhi hit back at the BJP and said that he “will never apologise to these people.” “I have a clip on my phone in which Narendra Modi ji is calling Delhi a 'rape capital', will tweet it so that everyone can see. Just to deflect attention from protests in North East, this is being made an issue by BJP,” Gandhi was quoted as saying. In the clip tweeted by Gandhi, Modi can be clearly heard saying ‘Delhi has become rape capital.’ Along with the clip, Gandhi said, “Modi should apologise. 1. For burning the North East. 2. For destroying India’s economy. 3. For this speech, a clip of which I'm attaching.” Backing ex-Congress chief, Shashi Tharoor said, "There is absolutely no question of Rahul Gandhi apologising... he has made a very ordinary statement on the situation."
Attacking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his reported rape remark, Union Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday the comment has hurt not only the Lok Sabha but the entire country, and that such members don't have the moral right to be in the House. The BJP MPs have been demanding an apology from Rahul Gandhi for his reported remark that "'Make in India' has become 'rape in India'". Singh said the 'Make in India' initiative was started to transform the country from an "importing nation to an exporting nation". Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the 'Make in India' initiative to provide employment to youth of the country. Now people are rhyming it with remarks which cannot be uttered, he said. Asserting that not only the House but the entire country has been hurt by the remark, Singh said, "Such members have no moral right to be a member of the Lok Sabha."
