'Rahul Gandhi should apologise for...': Rajnath Singh, BJP MPs demand in Parliament

The second leg of the Budget session of Parliament on Monday (March 13) began with uproar as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi's apology for insulting Indian Parliament and democracy on foreign soil.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh started the Parliament proceedings by asking the Congress leader to tender an apology over his London speech. Union minister Pralhad Joshi also spoke on the Congress MP's speech. 

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Shortly after that, Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 2pm as Union minister and BJP leader Piyush Goyal made a similar demand from Gandhi.

"A prominent Opposition leader goes abroad and attacks Indian democracy. He has insulted the people of India and the Parliament. There is freedom of speech in India and MPs can speak in Parliament. Rahul Gandhi should apologise in Parliament," Goyal said.

Pralhad Joshi asked where was democracy when fundamental rights were "trampled (during Emergency) and where was democracy when an ordinance, duly approved by the Union Cabinet, was torn (by Rahul Gandhi during the UPA government)".

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Speaker Om Birla said democracy in India is strong and getting stronger. As Congress members protested strongly, the speaker adjourned the House till 2 pm. 

The Congress leader had recently alleged in London that the structures of Indian democracy are under brutal attack and there is a full-scale assault on the institutions of the country.