A heated debate unfolded in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday as Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra strongly defended Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi while the House discussed a resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla.

Priyanka Gandhi, who was allowed to address the House by presiding officer Krishna Prasad Tenneti, said Rahul Gandhi was the only leader who had refused to “bend” before the BJP-led government during the past decade.

Her remarks came during the Opposition-led debate on the motion against Birla, which accuses the Speaker of showing bias in the functioning of the House.

Taking a swipe at the ruling party, Priyanka Gandhi said she found it ironic that leaders who often criticise India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, were now invoking his legacy.

“I was laughing today, because the person whom they criticise every day — Nehru ji — they are quoting the same person today. Suddenly, they have started respecting Nehru ji. They said that the one who made the democracy strongest was Nehru ji,” she said, drawing loud desk-thumping from Opposition MPs.

She then turned to defending Rahul Gandhi, saying he had remained steadfast despite sustained criticism from the government.

“There is only one person in this country who did not bend in front of these people (government) in these past 12 years — that is the Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi. This is because the LoP does not shy away from speaking the truth. They (government) cannot digest the truth,” she said.

The remarks came as the House debated the Opposition motion seeking Speaker Birla’s removal.

Responding to the motion, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticised the Opposition and stressed that every member of Parliament must function within constitutional rules and procedures.

“When any individual considers himself above everything else, it is pertinent that he be called out,” Rijiju said, making what appeared to be a veiled reference to Rahul Gandhi.

Rijiju also revived a moment from 2018 involving Rahul Gandhi’s hug and wink in the Lok Sabha, using it to question the Congress leader’s seriousness.

“I have never seen such a leader, who comes and hugs the prime minister, then goes back to his seat and winks at fellow party MPs (‘aankh maarta hai’),” Rijiju said while speaking in Hindi.

The incident he referred to occurred during the 2018 no-confidence motion debate, when Rahul Gandhi walked across the aisle to hug Prime Minister Narendra Modi after delivering a speech in which he said he wanted to “clean your hearts of hatred, and ignite love instead”. At the time, the gesture drew criticism from the BJP, which described it as childish.

Rijiju also responded to criticism from Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, who had earlier accused him of frequently interrupting Opposition members in the House.

“In future, when there will be research on parliamentary records, statistics will tell that Kiren Rijiju was the Parliamentary Affairs Minister who interrupted the Opposition the most,” Gogoi had said.

Replying to the remark, Rijiju said Gogoi was entitled to his views but lacked a proper understanding of the responsibilities of the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry.

“He has been a three-time member of the Parliament, but he is not aware of the responsibilities of the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry,” Rijiju said.

“He is a younger brother to me, but before taking a swipe at the role and responsibility of the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry, one should learn and understand the nitty-gritty of the working culture,” he added.

Defending Speaker Om Birla, Rijiju said it was common knowledge that the Speaker comes from the ruling party but is expected to remain impartial while conducting House proceedings.

He also highlighted several reforms introduced during Birla’s tenure, including the transition towards a paperless Parliament and the digitisation of parliamentary records.

“Unprecedented reforms have taken place during Om Birla’s tenure. New members have been given maximum opportunity to speak in the House. Urgent matters of public concern have been raised more frequently during his tenure. The transition to a paperless Parliament and digitisation of records have also taken place under his supervision,” Rijiju said, criticising the Opposition for moving the motion against him.