PM Modi to speak in Lok Sabha today, a day after LoP Rahul Gandhi’s Hinduism jibe at BJP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will speak in Lok Sabha during the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address on Tuesday, July 2, news agency PTI reported. PM Modi's speech will come a day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in his maiden speech as Leader of Opposition in the Lower House of Parliament.

The ongoing Lok Sabha session, the first of the newly elected house, started on June 24 and is expected to run until July 3. Before addressing the House, Modi will address the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) parliamentary party meeting at 9:30 am. This will be his first address to the ruling alliance's Members of Parliament (MPs) after winning his third term as Prime Minister.

Narendra Modi is expected to respond to remarks made by LoP Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha on Monday. In his speech, Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on PM Modi and other leaders of the BJP for an ‘assault’ on the idea of India. In his first speech as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi displayed posters of religious figures, including Lord Shiva, to target the ruling party.

Rahul Gandhi's remark triggered an uproar in the Lok Sabha. Members of the treasury benches, including PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, intervened and accused the Raebareli MP of ‘abusing’ Hindu society. The Home Minister also sought an apology from Rahul Gandhi for his remarks.

The spar between the ruling and opposition leaders assumes significance as the BJP has lost the majority in the Lok Sabha for the first time in ten years and thus relies on its allies to be in power. 

While the BJP won 240 seats, its allies won 53, leading to the NDA comfortably crossing the halfway mark in the 543-member House. With over 230 members, the opposition also has a better strength in the House than the last two terms of the Modi-led government.

Rahul Gandhi also targeted the ruling BJP over the NEET-UG controversy and the Aginipath scheme for recruitment in defence forces.