Beniwal made remarks against Gandhi family at behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi: Congress

The Congress on Thursday alleged that Rashtriya Loktantrik Party MP Hanuman Beniwal made a controversial remark against the Gandhi family in Lok Sabha at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that anybody who seeks answers from the government is abused.

Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned four times as Congress MPs demanded suspension of Beniwal of the RLP, a regional outfit from Rajasthan which is backed by the BJP, for his controversial remarks.

Congress members stormed the Well of the House as soon as the RLP MP made the remarks against Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her family members. Rajendra Agarwal, who was in the chair, said the remarks of Beniwal would not go on record.

Chief spokesperson of the Congress Randeep Surjewala said that Beniwal has "lost his mental balance", but, he was not the "architect of this conspiracy".

"PM Modi has launched a 'Goli Maro, Gali Do Abhiyan' against the entire opposition and against this country per se. Anybody, who seeks the accountability of the prime minister and the BJP government... why property worth a few thousand crore was gutted and set on fire, why did Delhi Police remain a mute spectator and why should the home minister not be sacked, then the answer is abuse or shoot people, he said.

Surjewala said, "Modi ji, this is not democracy, this is utter dictatorship. You have a phobia against the Gandhi-Nehru family."

This attitude is reflected in the "imbecile, unpardonable and unacceptable" comments made at the instance of the prime minister by the likes of Beniwal, Surjewala alleged.

"We seriously condemn this attitude of the prime minister and the BJP and request the prime minister to come forward and apologise to the nation and hold his home minister and his government accountable for Delhi riots," he said.