BJP alleges Congress, INDIA bloc shielding perpetrators of Parliament security breach

New Delhi, Dec 16 (PTI) The BJP on Saturday accused the Congress and other 'INDIA' bloc constituents of indulging in "petty politics" over the December 13 Parliament security breach incident to shield those involved in it.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, the party's national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that the opposition 'INDIA' bloc parties are standing by the perpetrators of the security breach as their links with them were emerging.

He also took a jibe at the Congress over the launch of its crowd-funding campaign, saying those who looted the country for 60 years are now seeking donations from the same country.

The Congress has started a 'Donate for Desh' campaign to deflect public attention from the "unparalleled corruption" in the party that has once again surfaced following the seizure of a huge amount of cash from its Rajya Sabha MP Dhiraj Sahu and a recent incident of crime against a tribal woman in Karnataka’s Belagavi district, Poonawalla claimed.

"There should never be petty politics on an issue as grave as national security and Parliament security," he said.

"But some people's political character and political DNA is such that they would indulge in petty politics on the issue of security also... there must be no compunctions in any of our minds to resonate in one voice and condemn the incident without ifs or buts," Poonawalla charged.

The BJP leader said Rahul Gandhi, the Congress' "immature" leader, has "shamefully" justified the December 13 incident by saying that it happened because of unemployment and the issue of price rise in the country.

"Rahul Gandhi ji what has happened to you? ...After losing three assembly polls, you will come up with such illogical arguments on such an incident whose sole objective was to terrorise Parliament anyhow," he said.

Poonawalla asked whether Rahul Gandhi implied that if someone felt there was unemployment in the country or if a person was not getting a job, then such a person should enter Parliament with a canister and release smoke.

"Is Rahul Gandhi now down to inciting people and giving them ideas and suggestions that if you feel aggrieved about a particular political narrative, then you must also take a smoke bomb or smoke canister in your hand and enter Parliament? Is it the suggestion Rahul Gandhi is giving," the BJP leader added.

He alleged that it is not just the Congress that is trying to shield those involved in the December 13 incident but the entire "I.N.D.I. Alliance and their ecosystem".

"It is because the links of the perpetrators of the incident are coming out with the Congress party and some extremist radicalised Leftist organisations supported by it," Poonawalla charged.

The BJP's IT department head Amit Malviya also slammed the Congress and said, "Rahul Gandhi never disappoints; always talks trash. For the record, unemployment in India is at 3.2%, the lowest in six years." "Instead, Rahul Gandhi and I.N.D.I Alliance leaders must explain the close linkages of those involved in the Parliament breach with Congress, TMC, and CPI(M). Rahul Gandhi, in particular, must clarify his association with Asim Sarode, who was part of Bharat Jodo Yatra and has offered to provide legal aide to the intruders," he added in a post in 'X'.

"The Congress has announced an online crowdfunding campaign. Going by their previous track record, this will turn out to be nothing but another attempt to siphon off public money and enrich the Gandhis," Malviya said, adding, "Don't donate for dynasty".

On Wednesday, two persons jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the visitors' gallery, shouted slogans and released coloured smoke from canisters that triggered panic and chaos in the House. PTI