Rahul Gandhi should apologise: Government slams London remarks

Parliament is meeting after a month-long recess, which allows various parliamentary panels to scrutinise allocations made in the Union Budget for different ministries.

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday came down heavily on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the Parliament over his UK speech where he said that India's democracy "has come undone".

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh slammed Rahul Gandhi for his remarks and demanded that the former Congress chief should apologise.

"Rahul Gandhi, who is a member of this House, insulted India in London. I demand that his statements should be condemned by all members of this House and he should be asked to apologise before the House," Rajnath said in Lok Sabha.

"A prominent Opposition leader goes abroad and attacks Indian democracy. He has insulted the people of India and the Parliament. There is freedom of speech in India and MPs can speak in Parliament. Rahul Gandhi should apologise in Parliament," said Union Minister Piyush Goyal.

"Rahul Gandhi in London said that MPs were not allowed to speak in Parliament. This is an insult to Lok Sabha. The House speaker should take action against him on this statement. A sedition case should be registered against him for insulting our democracy," said Union minister Giriraj Singh.

In an apparent reference to Gandhi's remarks made in London, PM Modi, while speaking in poll-bound Karnataka, termed it an insult to 12th century social reformer Basaveshwara, the people of Karnataka, India's great traditions and its citizens.

"Statue of Lord Basaveshwara is in London, but it is unfortunate that in the same London questions were raised on India's democracy. The roots of India's democracy have been nurtured by centuries of our history. No power in this world can harm India's democratic traditions. Despite this some are constantly making it stand in the dock," Modi said in an obvious swipe at Gandhi.

Parliament is meeting after a month-long recess, which allows various parliamentary panels to scrutinise allocations made in the Union Budget for different ministries.