Congress leader Renukha Choudhary blamed the weather for Rahul grabbing some shut-eye.
The Congress was left red-faced after pictures emerged that showed Rahul Gandhi apparently sleeping while Parliament discussed atrocities against the Dalit youth in Gujarat. The Congress, official party members and online fans, rushed to defend Rahul. Congress supporter Tehseen Poonawala claimed that it was a meditation technique. He wrote on Twitter: "FYI dear media and BJP - RG is into meditation & one of the best ways to listen to a speaker is to close your eyes, breathe and hear. As someone who does Vipasna - I know that Rahul Gandhi was NOT sleeping - there is a breathing & listening technique.”
Then Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi claimed that Rahul was checking his phone. He said: “It's not a crime to check a cell phone.” "Please dont trivialise & insult the intelligence of our Parliamentarians. It is false that Rahul Gandhi was asleep, " he said. He added that even PM Modi was once relaxing in Parliament, but they had never made an issue out of it.
On the other hand, Congress parliamentarian Renukha Chowdhary had the most imaginative answer as she blamed the hot Delhi weather for Rahul’s troubles. She said: "It is hot outside, so people usually go inside the Parliament which has air-conditioning and therefore close their eyes to relax.”
Meanwhile, Oscar Fernandes told Times Now that MPs ought to relax when tired. “Rahul Gandhi works day and night. He works for the people. I might not know the details, but if an MP gets tired, he would like to relax.”
Meanwhile, protests escalated in Gujarat over the brutal thrashing of the Dalit community youths in Una town even as incidents of violence were reported from several places across the state. Enraged community members took out rallies in towns and cities, blocking roads, damaging buses and a train was also stopped near Vadhvan in Surendranagar district. The bandh called by Dalit outfits in Gujarat evoked a mixed response. Chief Minister Anandiben Patel visited the victims at Rajkot hospital and met their family members at Una, assuring them that stringent action will be taken against the culprits.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi will be visiting Una on Thursday and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will do so on Friday. The Dalit outfits kept up protests across the state against the assault of some community members on July 11 for allegedly skinning a cow at Una in Gir-Somnath district.
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