Matter of shame that LoP has no understanding of constitutional duties: Piyush Goyal

New Delhi: Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday came down heavily on the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, saying that it is a matter of "shame" that the latter has "no understanding" of his Constitutional duties.

Goyal's reaction came a day after LoP Gandhi said President Droupadi Murmu had asked the Opposition-led delegation to provide evidence to substantiate its allegations of 'vote chori (vote theft)' following a meeting over the controversy surrounding Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

Earlier, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) questioned the veracity of the claims made by Rahul Gandhi following the INDIA bloc's meeting with President Murmu.

Speaking to reporters, Piyush Goyal said: "It is a matter of shame that the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, has no respect for any Constitutional authority. He has no understanding of the law or his Constitutional duties, both as a citizen of India and as the Leader of the Opposition."

"Rahul Gandhi has displayed arrogance, disrespectful behaviour, disregard for courtesies and, if I may add, ignorance of both the law and common sense," he remarked.

Piyush Goyal said that when the President Murmu graciously and immediately granted time for meeting, as requested by the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi should have carried evidence, if any, to support his "fake allegations".

"If Mr. Gandhi had any substance to his fake and false narrative and allegations, he would have the courtesy and in fact he was duty bound, to go along with some proofs, some evidence of whatever claims he was making," the Union Minister added.

"When he (Rahul Gandhi) hands over a representation, since it had no data, facts, figures or proofs attached to his fake allegations, because there are none to backup his fakery, the honourable President requested him to provide the necessary evidence," he said.

Earlier on Saturday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Sambit Patra, addressing a press conference, said that LoP Gandhi tried to "drag the President of the country into a street protest".

"Never has anyone attempted to drag the President into a street protest. However, a 'nalayak neta' attempted to do that. The anarchist Rahul Gandhi tried to pull the President of India to the anarchism which he is trying his best to conduct on the streets of India," the BJP spokesperson alleged.

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