Jairam Ramesh counters Pralhad Joshi, says BJP leader should apologise if proven wrong

New Delhi [India], December 23 (ANI): Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has hit back over Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi 's dig at him over remarks on curtailment of winter session and asked if the union minister will apologise if his allegations had proved wrong.
Joshi had in his remarks referred to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi not being present during the winter session of Parliament that concluded on Friday and said that he is breaking the Bharat Jodo Yatra to holiday abroad.
"If Pralhad Joshi's allegations are proved (right) then I will apologize. If Joshi's allegations are proved wrong then he will have to apologize publicly," Jairam Ramesh told ANI.
Joshi had on Thursday taken a swipe at Rahul Gandhi following Jairam Ramesh's criticism of the manner in which the government had decided to curtail the winter session of Parliament and said "your leader is breaking the (Bharat Jodo) Yatra to holiday abroad" and "you remembered parliament now".
Joshi had responded to Jairam Ramesh's remarks that the government had suddenly agreed to curtail the session by a week so that "it's use of Covid-19 to defame and derail Bharat Jodo Yatra acquires a shade of respectability".
Joshi said Gandhi did not attend the winter session of parliament that began on December 7.
"We waited the entire #WinterSession2022 to see you and your leader in the House, but to no avail, but as always, your leader is breaking the Yatra to holiday abroad. You remembered parliament now !" Joshi said in a tweet.
"You sing different tunes and have no control over own leaders in Parliament. They demanded curtailing session on the 23rd and it seems you differ?" he added.
Jairam Ramesh, a Congress general secretary, had said in a tweet that the opposition parties had been demanding for quite some time that the session should be shortened as the government did not have "many bills to be passed".
He said BharatJodoYatra will abide by a science-based and medical evidence-based protocol.
"Parliament will adjourn sine die tmrw 1130am.This was a demand by Oppn parties long ago since there werent many Bills to be passed.Modi govt which never listens,suddenly agreed so that it's use of Covid-19 to defame and derail BharatJodoYatra acquires a shade of respectability," Jairam Ramesh said.
"Now, will the Modi govt make masks and sanitisers compulsory, curtail international flights and ban public gatherings? The #BharatJodoYatra will abide by a science-based and medical evidence-based protocol," he added. (ANI)