Rahul, UP minister in heated exchange over protocol during meeting in Raebareli

A high-level review meeting on key central schemes in Raebareli witnessed a heated exchange between Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and Uttar Pradesh Minister Dinesh Pratap Singh, after Singh was reminded that members must seek the chair’s permission before speaking.

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Spat at DISHA meeting

A video of the September 11 incident, which took place during the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting at the Collectorate’s Bachat Bhawan, went viral on social media the following day on September 12. The meeting was also attended by Amethi MP and DISHA co-chairperson Kishori Lal Sharma, several MLAs, and block chiefs.

Sharma told PTI that the confrontation arose when Singh began directly questioning officials. "In DISHA meetings, members must seek the chair’s permission before speaking. I reminded him of this procedure, just as questions in the Lok Sabha are addressed through the Speaker," he said.

Emphasising parliamentary etiquette, Sharma added that the chief minister should take note of such conduct, questioning what message it sends about cabinet discipline.

Also Read: UP minister tries to stop Rahul’s convoy over Modi’s mother’s ‘insult’

Minister calls for closure

Meanwhile, Singh, the minister of state (independent charge) for horticulture, issued a long statement on social media in response to a viral photograph showing Rahul Gandhi shaking hands with his son, a local block chief.

Alleging that Congress supporters circulated the image to mock him, Singh said, "My son should not have merely shaken hands but touched Rahul Gandhi’s feet as a mark of respect since he is my age."

He claimed that he had stood up to greet Rahul, but "he did not shake hands with me." Calling for closure, Singh wrote, "Let us move forward in ‘apni apni disha’ (our own directions)."

The DISHA meeting was boycotted by expelled Samajwadi Party MLA from Unchahar, Manoj Kumar Pandey, who boycotted the session over one of his proposals being ignored, while Lalganj block head Shivani Singh skipped it after her vehicle was allegedly denied entry into the premises.

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Development forums are not for politics

Notably, Dinesh Pratap Singh, an MLC from Raebareli and a former Congress member, had staged a protest with BJP workers just a day earlier, demanding Rahul Gandhi’s apology for alleged derogatory remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mother at a recent Congress rally in Bihar.

Commenting on the spat, BJP MLA from Raebareli (Sadar) Aditi Singh told PTI that such confrontations undermine the spirit of development-focused forums. "All elected and nominated representatives participate in these meetings. There are 365 days for politics, but such platforms should be dedicated to addressing development issues with respect and protocol," she said.

She stressed that party differences should not overshadow discussions on public welfare and added, "I don’t like using such platforms for political agendas — I prefer doing my work there."

(With agency inputs)