New Delhi, August 19, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has accused the Opposition of deliberately disrupting Parliament during the recently concluded Monsoon Session, saying the situation could have been controlled if Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had wanted it.
In an interview with IANS, Rijiju said he had met Gandhi and also spoken to him over the phone, but efforts to ensure smooth functioning of Parliament did not succeed.
“Everyone knows that if Rahul Gandhi wanted, the Congress MPs would not resort to abuses, sloganeering and ruckus during the House proceedings. Rahul Gandhi is the only leader in the Congress who can correct the behaviour of his MPs,” Rijiju said.
He also rejected Opposition claims that Home Minister Amit Shah was absent from Parliament during the session. Rijiju said Shah remained on the Parliament premises from morning to evening but did not attend proceedings amid the disruptions.
“The Home Minister used to come to Parliament and remain there from morning till evening. He cannot really go amid the ruckus, can he? They are just resorting to spreading rumours,” he said.
On remarks made during a Congress event about Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Rijiju said political leaders should maintain respect while referring to the head of another country, arguing that disrespecting a top office could bring disrepute to both the individual and the country.
Rijiju defends ‘dimagi Naxal’ remark
Asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reference to “dimagi Naxals”, Rijiju said armed Naxalism had been largely eliminated but alleged that people with a similar ideology continued to operate in cities, institutions and other places.
He claimed that such people celebrate when security personnel from forces including the Army, CRPF, ITBP, BSF, SSB, NSG and CISF are killed by Naxals.
On the privilege notice issued to Rahul Gandhi over alleged unparliamentary remarks against Home Minister Amit Shah, Rijiju said established parliamentary rules and procedures must be followed.
“If someone acts against the rules or violates them, a privilege notice is issued. All of this takes place in accordance with the rules,” he said.
Rijiju also described the Opposition as fragmented and lacking confidence, alleging that electoral defeats were leading its members to vent their frustration inside Parliament.
‘Vande Mataram’ controversy
On the controversy surrounding the rendition of ‘Vande Mataram’ at the Congress headquarters during Independence Day celebrations, Rijiju said the National Song should be respected by all Indians.
“There is now a law regarding ‘Vande Mataram’. It is not the anthem of any specific party or religion; it is the National Song. Everyone should sing ‘Vande Mataram’, and every Indian should respect it,” he said.
He added that the importance of the National Song should not be reduced to a political debate.
Rijiju rejects Rahul Gandhi’s China allegations
On Rahul Gandhi’s allegations regarding Chinese intrusion into Indian territory, Rijiju said it was incorrect to make such a claim without understanding the ground situation.
He said the India-China boundary in Arunachal Pradesh has not been formally delineated in several areas and lacks border pillars or a clearly marked boundary on the ground.
“There are issues in several places in Arunachal Pradesh; the root cause of these issues needs to be understood,” Rijiju said.
He acknowledged that villagers in border areas have genuine concerns because of the absence of demarcation, but criticised the circulation of what he described as misleading videos.
Rijiju attributed the lack of infrastructure on India’s side of the border to the policy followed by earlier Congress governments. He cited former Defence Minister A.K. Antony’s statement in Parliament that the government had chosen not to develop infrastructure on the Indian side, while claiming that China continued building roads and other infrastructure.
According to Rijiju, the approach changed after 2014 under the Narendra Modi government, with increased emphasis on roads and connectivity in border areas.
He cited his visit to Maza village, which he described as being at the last border point, and said road construction there had subsequently been completed. He also said a road to Taksing was built in 2019.
Rijiju said China had established infrastructure in certain high-altitude areas and that India was responding by developing its own connectivity.
At the same time, he rejected the claim that China had occupied Indian villages, saying some stretches remain disputed because the boundary has not been demarcated.
He said Army and ITBP patrolling had been strengthened and referred to a settlement-like construction in a valley beyond Longju, where he said the Chinese PLA had established structures. According to Rijiju, the area was occupied in 1959 and China’s control was further consolidated in 1962.
He acknowledged increased Chinese military activity along the ridgeline and said the concerns of local residents should be taken seriously.
However, he criticised the circulation of what he called a fake video purportedly originating from Bangladesh, saying such material could undermine the morale of the armed forces.
Asked about Rahul Gandhi displaying photographs concerning Chinese intrusion, Rijiju defended the Army and criticised a Congress leader for allegedly referring to an Army General as “sadak ka gunda”.
Delimitation, Indira Gandhi remarks and AAP
On the proposed Delimitation Bill and the possibility of a special Parliament session, Rijiju said the government wanted to engage with the Congress and would consider the matter if there was a change in the party’s position and something positive emerged.
Asked whether BJP MP Nishikant Dubey’s remarks concerning the Congress and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi amounted to freedom of expression, Rijiju declined to comment on what he described as a personal remark.
On Abhijit Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), Rijiju claimed that Dipke was an Aam Aadmi Party worker and accused the AAP of resorting to such tactics after electoral setbacks. He said Prime Minister Modi listens to students’ concerns but maintained that such issues should not be politicised.
Responding to Opposition comparisons between the situation in India and developments in Nepal and Bangladesh, Rijiju said no political leader should support actions that violate the Constitution or seek to create anarchy in the country.
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