Rahul Gandhi Praises Priyanka for Making Amit Shah Smile in Parliament

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi publicly praised his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the Lok Sabha on Friday, highlighting a moment that drew laughter from members across party lines. Gandhi said he watched Priyanka accomplish in just five minutes something he had failed to do in nearly two decades of political life — making Home Minister Amit Shah smile during a parliamentary exchange.

“Yesterday I was watching my sister achieve something in five minutes that I have not been able to in, maybe, 20 years of our political career, which was to make Amit Shah ji smile,” Gandhi said, expressing pride in his sister as her elder brother. Neither Priyanka nor Shah was present in the House at the time, but the remark sparked laughter across the aisle.

Priyanka Takes on the Government Over Women’s Reservation

The comment referred to Priyanka’s speech a day earlier during a special Lok Sabha debate on bills related to increasing parliamentary seats and providing one-third reservation for women. During her address, she accused the government of using women’s empowerment as a political tool while simultaneously weakening the rights of OBCs and certain states. Her remarks, including a light dig at Amit Shah, drew widespread laughter in the House.

Shah Responds, Gandhi Recalls Indira’s Wisdom

Shah later clarified that seat distribution would remain balanced, including for southern states, even after the proposed increase. Rahul Gandhi also recalled a lesson from his grandmother, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, about courage and overcoming fear, further underlining the emotional and political significance of the parliamentary session for the Gandhi family.