‘Rahul Gandhi hasn't said anything that requires an apology’: Shashi Tharoor

As the BJP continues to demand an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks in London on democracy in India, party MP Shashi Tharoor said that Gandhi has not said anything that requires an apology.

Tharoor further said that Rahul Gandhi expressed concern about the state of democracy and attacks on it by the practices of the ruling government.

"Rahul Gandhi hasn't said anything that requires an apology. He expressed concern about the state of our democracy and attacks on it by the practices of the ruling government," he said. The Congress MP said this is nothing what Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said in foreign countries.

"This is milder than what PM Narendra Modi has said in foreign countries. He has constantly attacked the Congress party, the previous government, and alleged lack of progress before he came to power. This kind of discourse abroad was initiated by PM Modi, not by Congress," he added.

Lok Sabha MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that the Centre should apologise not Rahul Gandhi.

"Government doesn't want to run the Parliament. Has it ever been witnessed that all the members of a party in power create a ruckus to halt the Parliament? Why should Rahul Gandhi apologise? Instead, they (Centre) should apologise," he said.

For the second consecutive day on Tuesday, the Rajya Sabha faced adjournment amid pandemonium as treasury benches sought an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi while the opposition kept on demanding a probe into the Adani Group by a Joint Parliamentary Committee.

The ruckus started almost an hour after the proceedings which included the tabling of papers and participation of members in a discussion on RRR's 'Naatu Naatu' song and short film 'The Elephant Whisperers' on winning the prestigious Oscar Award.

Rahul Gandhi's remarks at his alma mater Cambridge University -- that Indian democracy is under attack and several politicians, including himself, are under surveillance -- have become the latest flashpoint between the Congress and the BJP. The BJP has accused him of "defaming" the country abroad after repeated electoral defeats.

While addressing a lecture at Cambridge University in London, Rahul; Gandhi has said, "Everybody knows and it's been in the news a lot that Indian democracy is under pressure and under attack. I am an Opposition leader in India, we are navigating that (Opposition) space. The institutional framework which is required for a democracy Parliament, free press, the judiciary, just the idea of mobilisation, moving around all are getting constrained. So, we are facing an attack on the basic structure of Indian democracy."

Also read: CBI arrests RPF Inspector in bribery case

The second-half of the Budget session has resumed from Monday after a month-long recess. The first half of the Budget session also faced repeated disruptions and adjournments due to protest by the Opposition and demand for JPC probe in the Adani issue.