Rahul Gandhi indulging in gimmicks for cheap publicity: BJP

The BJP on Tuesday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of indulging in “gimmicks” for cheap publicity and alleged that the opposition has resorted to “rant and run” tactics to hijack parliamentary proceedings and defame the government. Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, the deputy leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, said opposition members have been outdoing each other in disrupting Parliament’s proceedings to project themselves as the leader of the anti-BJP grouping.

Opposition parties have stalled Parliament’s proceedings over the Pegasus row.

On a day Gandhi hosted a breakfast meeting of opposition parties and cycled to Parliament along with his colleagues, BJP chief spokesperson Anil Baluni said the Congress leader is mostly concerned about cheap publicity through gimmicks like driving tractor or riding cycle and does not take the legislature seriously.

“They have no real issue and do these things to be in news. This is the first time we are seeing that the government wants to debate issues in Parliament while the opposition does not,” he said.

Naqvi said the opposition is engaging in “rant and run” tactics. It is not allowing Parliament to function and then defames the government outside it, he said.

In their “Modi-bashing”, the opposition has been resorting to “India-bashing”, he alleged.

Leaders of several opposition parties attended a breakfast meeting hosted by Gandhi at the Constitution Club here where stress was laid on opposition unity.

Several opposition MPs led by Gandhi later cycled to Parliament to highlight the issue of fuel price hike.

Some opposition MPs, who could not cycle, walked down to Parliament.