"When young, you can speak passionately but there's a thin line called respect...": Kiren Rijiju on Mahua Moitra

New Delhi [India], April 16 (ANI): Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has responded to opposition allegations about the government bulldozing some legislation, saying that such allegations are sometimes levelled when there are differences over bill provisions. He recalled an incident in which he stepped in over allegations levelled by Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra.
In an interview with ANI, Rijiju, who is also the Union Minority Affairs Minister, said while youthful energy and assertiveness are natural in politics, patience and experience have their own value. He also emphasised the need to follow parliamentary norms.
Rijiju slammed Moitra's "Dariye mat" remark aimed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi during her speech in the winter session of Parliament last year and said it is not right to cross the line between passionate speech and disrespect.
He said if a member has the intention of a long parliamentary career, there is a need to be careful about the choice of words.

"I can say only one thing that I have learned from Atalji also. When you are young, you can speak passionately and then show your aggression in whatever you want to do. But there's a thin line called respect. If you miss that line, then it will be harmful to the member. If somebody has an intention of a long parliamentary career, one must be very careful about the words being used and the attitude being displayed on the floor of the House," Rijiju said.
Drawing from his own experience in Parliament since 2004 and the legacy of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Rijiju emphasised that seniority and stature in Parliament are earned over time, not through aggression or impatience.
"I have been there (in Parliament) since 2004. And from that day, I decided that I would never use abusive and foul language, especially against seniors. We should not think or speak ill of our colleagues, not only seniors. We are colleagues in the House. Especially with the seniors, we are there to learn from them. Atalji used to sit on the last bench, and then he slowly came to the middle, and finally, he was sitting in the front. This turn will come for everybody. But if you don't have a long parliamentary career, then you will not get a chance to be in the front," he said.
"That takes time. If you are in a hurry to make your presence felt, if you are in a state of mind that you have no patience, then I don't think it will pay off because seniority and experience come with time. You can't chase it and bring it. It comes naturally," Rijiju added.
Referring to Mahua Moitra's allegation against him during the winter session of Parliament after he responded to her reference to the death of a judge, Rijiju said she was "overly worked up".
On December 13, 2024, Moitra posted on X, "So @KirenRijiju openly threatens me in Lok Sabha today in complete violation of parliamentary rules & procedure. @ombirlakota says he will get Rijiju's words deleted, but no action yet. Written to @IPUparliament against this continued gender harassment & intimidation yet again."
The exchange between Kiren Rijiju and Mahua Moitra took place during a Lok Sabha debate marking 75 years of the Indian Constitution, after Moitra's remarks referred to the death of Judge BH Loya.
"She was a bit overly worked up. She's young, energetic, and all that--let her speak, that's for the Chair to regulate. My only point was that when she accused one of our senior ministers, she made an inference about a sensitive incident and tried to link it in a very intelligent way, so I said that we understand your intention, and if needed, we will proceed as per parliamentary rules. That's all I said. But she got upset," Rijiju noted.
Rijiju also talked about his coordination role as Parliamentary Affairs Minister.
"It is challenging, but I am thoroughly enjoying my position there by coming across so many different positions taken by different parties and then managing them to get on board. Sometimes we get heated exchanges on the floor and in the Business Advisory Committee. They will visit my house. I will visit the senior leaders' house also. See, I can understand when Congress party takes a very strong stand, say for appointment of a chairman of a committee, house committee, standing committee, and various other things which are not part of the parliamentary proceeding, but which are outside the house, but which are equally part of the parliamentary traditions," he said.
"So when we do negotiations outside the House for various other things, at times, stick to our positions and it gets into stalemate... The Congress party would say that, no, we want this position, we want this post...this is our position...I try to open up...let us not be rigid, let us come to some understanding. I think these are part of the uh parliamentary democracy," he added.
Answering a query about sharp differences in JPC on Waqf Bill and reports of a water bottle having been smashed, Rijiju said some of the members in the JPC, who had different opinions, got worked up.
"So they try to resist the opinion by showing their anger. My advice to the members is the committee is there to listen to everybody, whether you like it or not. Listen to everybody," he said.
JPC on Waqf Amendment Bill later submitted its report to the Lok Sabha Speaker.
Rijiju said sometimes some members get upset with him as well.
"Sometimes, I have to push through certain bills, certain business, which are required to be done in a stipulated time. They get angry with you? And then they will accuse me...Parliamentary Affairs Minister is bulldozing," he said.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, passed by Parliament earlier this month after marathon debates in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, seeks to streamline the management of Waqf properties, with provisions to safeguard heritage sites and promote social welfare. The bill was later given assent by President Droupadi Murmu. (ANI)