“Don’t run away..: “Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla backs Priyanka Gandhi’s remarks on Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi

New Delhi [India], July 29 (ANI): Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla on Wednesday backed party Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's remarks targeting newly appointed Union Minister Prahlad Joshi, asserting that Joshi should not run away from his alleged past reactions regarding the Bilkis Bano convicts.
Speaking to ANI, Aujla alleged that Prahlad Joshi has neither spoken a word regarding the felicitation of the Bilkis Bano rapists nor made any comment on the matter.
"What Pralhad Joshi said is active on social media; perhaps he should first clarify whether it is actually him or not. So far, Pralhad Joshi has not said a word about the fact that the rapists of Bilkis Bano were honoured, nor has he made any comment on the matter. He hasn't offered any response at all. They get uncomfortable when this is raised in the House. Don't run away... Everyone knows that he honoured Bilkis Bano's rapists. If you hand over the Education Ministry to such a person, what message are you sending to the entire country?..." said Aujla.
Earlier, Congress Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made remarks against newly appointed Union Education Minister Prahlad Joshi in connection with the Bilkis Bano convicts while targeting the government over issues related to examination irregularities and accountability.
As a result, her remarks against the newly appointed minister triggered a heated exchange in the Lok Sabha, as Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and Kiren Rijiju accused her of making personal allegations and spreading misinformation against the education minister.
"Priyanka ji should have authenticated her statements. Action should be taken regarding the misinformation being spread. Can one simply say anything and get away with it?... I refute these allegations. She should be expelled and must apologise," Joshi said.
"While Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was speaking, there were interruptions from her side earlier, and there were interruptions from our side as well. But we were listening peacefully. However, the remarks she has just made about our current Education Minister amount to character assassination in Parliament. We do not expect such language," Rijiju said.
Following the incident, several opposition leaders criticised Union Minister Prahlad Joshi's reaction to Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's remarks in the Lok Sabha.
CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar accused Kiren Rijiju and Prahlad Joshi of allegedly reacting like children over Priyanka Gandhi's remarks, asserting that political issues should be defended politically and should simply counter the statements if they are not true to facts.
"It's a political statement based on facts, and there is no point in registering a case, or I mean a complaint against those who spoke in the parliament. You defend politically. They started crying like kids. This is something based on facts, and why should he be worried about that? Just counter it if it is not true to the facts..." Kumar told ANI.
JMM MP Mahua Maji emphasised that Parliament is a platform where members present their views in the national interest, adding that it ultimately depends on the discretion of the Chair on how such statements are entertained in Parliament.
"Parliament is a place where one puts forward their views in the interest of the country, and in that, allegations and counter-allegations do keep happening. Sometimes, people from the ruling side say things that feel offensive to the opposition, and sometimes, statements from the opposition also seem wrong to the ruling side. It depends on the discretion of our Chairman how they take these statements..." said Maji. (ANI)