New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah came down heavily on Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Friday for his criticism of the Parliament's functioning, saying that at the allotted time to speak in the Lok Sabha, the leader of the opposition was in Vietnam.
Shah also criticised the Congress government in Karnataka for proposing a 4% quota on contracts for Muslims, calling it a "lollipop" meant to appease the community.
At the "Times Now Summit 2025", Amit Shah stated that religion-based reservations are unconstitutional and will likely be overturned by courts.
"We strongly oppose any quota on the basis of religion," he said.
Amit Shah countered Rahul Gandhi's criticism of Parliament's functioning, saying the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha perhaps does not know that there are rules for speaking in the House, which cannot be run through whims and fancies.
"He (Gandhi) was given 42 per cent of the time in the discussion on the budget. Now, it is up to him to decide who would speak.
"But when a serious discussion was going on in Parliament, he was in Vietnam, and when he returned, he started insisting on speaking as per his wish," Shah said.
He said Parliament runs in accordance with rules and procedures, not like the Congress party, which is run by a family and "where you can speak whenever you want".
"I am sorry to say, but they have to follow rules and regulations," Shah said.
He also dismissed Congress's allegations of an emergency-like situation prevailing in the country, stating that the opposition party constantly criticises the government.
"Had there been an emergency, they (Congress leaders) would have been in jail," he said.
On the Karnataka government announcing a 4-per-cent quota for Muslims on contracts, Shah criticised it, calling it a move driven by "vote-bank politics". He argued that contracts should be awarded based on quality and price, rather than religion.
Amit Shah has countered the Congress's demand for a caste census, stating that the opposition party had previously opposed such an exercise.
"In 2011, they (Congress) had done a survey on castes but not announced its outcome. We are now doing an internal analysis on what process should be followed for a castes census. Once we finalise it, we will see how we can go ahead with it," he said.
(inputs from PTI)