Unproductive politically: BJP slams Rahul for curbing Parliament efficiency

BJP took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi saying the Congress leader may have been "unproductive politically" but he should not try to curb the legislature's productivity

With opposition's protests on price rise disrupting Parliament proceedings, the BJP on Wednesday took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi saying the Congress leader may have been "unproductive politically" but he should not try to curb the legislature's productivity.

Parliament's monsoon session has seen little business since it started on Monday due to opposition members, including from the Congress, disrupting its proceedings over issues like fresh GST on certain food items and price rise in general.

The government and the opposition have accused each other of running away from debate on critical issues facing the country.

Attacking Gandhi, Union minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani alleged his political life has been dotted with show of disrespect to parliamentary procedures and traditions. He is now adamant to bring down the productivity of Lok Sabha, she told reporters.

As an Amethi MP between 2004 and 2019, he never posed any question in Parliament and when he "abandoned" the constituency and became the MP of Wayanad, his attendance in Lok Sabha was less than 40 per cent in the winter session in 2019, Irani said. He has also never proposed any private member's bill, she added.

She had defeated Gandhi in Amethi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Irani also took a dig at him over his frequent foreign visits and said this has become a matter of worry for his own party.

"His political life has been spent disrespecting parliamentary traditions. Now he is dedicating himself to ensuring that parliamentary proceedings and debates do not take place," she said.

"He may be unproductive politically but he should not dare to continuously curb Parliament's productivity," she added.