Rahul Gandhi's speech 'full of lies', will seek to expunge them: Kiren Rijiju

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's speech in the Lok Sabha was "full of lies" and the ruling alliance will seek to expunge from the House records the "lies" he has spoken.

Soon after Gandhi's speech during a debate on the Union Budget, Rijiju said the ruling alliance members will serve a notice before the chair seeking authentication of whatever the leader of opposition has spoken.

"We will demand expunging of whatever lies Rahul Gandhi has spoken," he told reporters here.

Even though Gandhi has promised to authenticate what he has spoken, the minister said, "I know he cannot authenticate them because he lied. He lied in the House."

Rijiju further alleged that the Congress leader often lies deliberately and then leaves the House, instead of sitting there to listen to the reply of the minister concerned.

It was unfortunate, he said, that the country does not have a person with a serious nature befitting the position of the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha.

"Our party has taken a stand that we will counter Rahul Gandhi's lies outside, but inside the House, a notice will be issued," he said.

Rijiju said Gandhi has made a major allegation against Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri without giving any notice, which is a serious breach of privilege.

"We will file the necessary notice with the speaker. The leader of the opposition did not make any useful substantive contribution to the budget discussion but only made some wild allegations," he said.

The minister said he told Gandhi to be present in the House when Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman would reply to the budget discussion.

"After his speech, he immediately went out of the House. The rule is that once a member delivers his speech, he cannot leave the House immediately," he said.

Gandhi alleged in the Lok Sabha that the government has "sold Bharat Mata" through the India-US interim trade deal and that it was a "wholesale surrender" with India's energy security handed over to America and farmers' interests compromised.

Rijiju said no one can sell or buy India, no one can think of that.

"In 2011-12, India was considered as one of the fragile five country. Now we are the fourth largest economy and poised to become the third largest," he said.