Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Friday criticised Congress President Rahul Gandhi for hugging Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the debate over the no-confidence motion.
“The prime minister was sitting in the House in his capacity as the PM,” she said after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar criticised Gandhi’s hug. “We should keep this in mind before making any move or gesture. The manner in which it was done was not right. The decorum of the House should be maintained.”
Ananth Kumar said Gandhi behaviour was childish. “He has grown old but it is unfortunate that he has not grown up,” he said, according to The Indian Express.
However, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge objected to the Speaker and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders attacking Gandhi for the act, News18 reported. In response, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, “I am myself going to hug Khargeji once this session gets over.”
Eleven Opposition parties are supporting the no-trust motion, which was moved by the BJP’s former alliance partner, the Telugu Desam Party. The Lok Sabha will vote on the motion later in the evening.
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