Did Rahul Gandhi really say ‘Bharat Mata’ is unparliamentary word? Fact-Check

A video of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi saying, “Bharat Mata is an unparliamentary word,” has gone viral recently on social media, with claims that he dishonored Mother India.

*इस घंमडी व्यक्ति को सुनिए* इसकी विदेशी मां ने इसे यहीं सिखाया है कि *”भारत माता” अन पार्लियामेंट ( असंवैधानिक) शब्द है 😡*
*_लश्कर ए कांग्रेस का_ 🖐️*
*_सत्यानाश यही करेगा।_*@23pradeepsingh @Aamitabh2 @AcharyaPramodk @ajeetbharti @scribe9104 @JaipurDialogues @Sanjay_Dixit pic.twitter.com/VAXQCEokyT

— Arun Joshi (@arunjoshi006) January 13, 2025

The claim in Hindi, when translated reads: “Listen to this arrogant person. His foreign mother has taught him that “Bharat Mata” is an un-parliamentary (unconstitutional) word…Lashkar-e-Congress… This is what Satyanash will do.”

It has been shared here, here and here.

FACT-CHECK

When Digiteye India searched further on social media, the claim was as old as September 2023, that has resurfaced recently. In this viral video, Rahul Gandhi told media outside the parliament building saying, “Bharat Mata is now considered an unparliamentary term in India.” In fact, Rahul Gandhi was responding to media queries when certain words from his Lok Sabha Speech were expunged on the no-confidence motion dating back to August 9, 2023.

The original video of Rahul Gandhi’s speech in Parliament is clear that his remarks targeted the BJP government accusing the ruling party of being “traitors,” not “nationalists,” and their policies had “murdered Bharat Mata” in Manipur. However, some portions of his speech were later expunged from the Parliamentary records.

Then Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi later clarified that words such as “hatya” (murder), “katl” (murder), “deshdrohi” (traitor), “hatyare” (murderer), and “mara” (killed) were removed, but not “Bharat Mata,” under Rule 380 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha. The rule empowers the Lok Sabha Speaker to decide on expunging words deemed defamatory or unparliamentary.

So, Rahul Gandhi’s remarks criticized the government for expunging parts of his speech, but he did not himself say that “Bharat Mata” is an unparliamentary term. The claim is false.

Claim: Rahul Gandhi said “Bharat Mata” is an unparliamentary word.
Conclusion: Misleading. The video shows Rahul Gandhi criticizing the expunging of words from his old Sept. 2023 Lok Sabha speech.

Rating: Misleading —