Microphones of Opposition leaders are often muted in Parliament, Rahul Gandhi tells British MPs

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday alleged that the microphones of Opposition leaders in the Lok Sabha are often muted, PTI reported.

“Our mikes are not out of order, they are functioning, but you still can’t switch them on,” Gandhi claimed. “This happened to me a number of times while I was speaking.”

The Congress leader was addressing British MPs in the UK Parliament in London. He made the claim while responding to a question about his experience of being a politician in India compared to his counterparts in the United Kingdom.

At Monday’s event, Gandhi also alleged that the Opposition leader’s demand to discuss critical topics is not allowed in Indian Parliament.

“Demonetisation, which was a disastrous financial decision, we were not allowed to discuss,” he said, according to PTI. “The GST...we were not allowed to discuss. Chinese troops entering Indian territory...we were not allowed to discuss. I remember a Parliament where there were vibrant discussions, heated debates, arguments, and disagreements but we had a conversation.”

Later, at a separate event at the Chatham House think tank in London, Gandhi alleged that the nature of democracy has changed in India and blamed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for it. He also termed it a “fundamentalist” and “fascist” organisation, reported the Hindustan Times.

“Their idea is to use the democratic contest to come to power and then subvert the democratic contest afterwards,” Gandhi claimed.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is the parent organisation and the ideological backbone of a host of Hindutva groups including the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

Meanwhile, the BJP alleged that Gandhi was maligning India’s reputation on foreign soil.

“Rahul Gandhi never desists from attacking the country,” Union Minister Anurag Thakur alleged, according to ANI. “He is defaming the country. World is accepting our achievements but he is spreading confusion.”