Indian Opposition Leader Targeted by Trolls for Playing With Phone During President’s Address

The joint session of the Indian Parliament is called by the President of India under Article 108 of the Indian Constitution. The Speaker of the Lower House traditionally presides over the joint session. In his absence, the Deputy Speaker presides. The President's Address is a statement of the government’s policies.

New Delhi (Sputnik): Rahul Gandhi, the head of India’s main opposition party, attracted unwanted attention on Thursday when he was found fiddling on his mobile phone with Whatsapp messages and conversing with a fellow senior leader, even while the President of India was delivering his address to a joint session of Parliament.

He continued doing it for almost half an hour during the president’s address.

Rahul Gandhi, the leader of India’s main opposition party, which ruled the party for decades, was viewed as acting in an undignified and unprofessional manner.

Gandhi's misbehaviour was caught on television cameras, and provided ample fodder for netizens, who targeted him on social media. Many of them were surprised to see Rahul Gandhi failing to observe proper protocol in Parliament.

VIRAL VIDEO: #RahulGandhi stops #SoniaGandhi from applauding in the Parliament during President #RamNathKovind talks about Surgical Strike & Balakot Airstrike in his address pic.twitter.com/v3Pjxr1UR4

— Zee News (@ZeeNews) June 20, 2019

49 age ke #RahulGandhi ne aaj jo rashtrapati ke abhivashan ke vakt kiya wo vakai apmanjank hai mujhe hairani tab hoti hai jab kuch log kahte h ki galti ho gyi unse wah re chmcho,,,, #AreYouSeriousRahul

— हिंदू चौकिदार RAVI SHANKAR (@HINDURAVI333) June 20, 2019

So focus of attention is #RahulGandhi !!!!!whether inside or outside the Parliament

— Dr Sundara (@DrSundara3) June 20, 2019

भाजपा पर भड़के आनंद शर्मा, बोले- राहुल को लेकर आरोप लगाना आपको शोभा नहीं देता#AnandSharma #RahulGandhihttps://t.co/foDAyKM110

— प्रभासाक्षी (@prabhasakshi) June 20, 2019

​President Ram Nath Kovind was addressing a joint-session of both houses of Parliament in the historic Central Hall to mark the formal opening of the 17th Parliamentary session.

Later, Rahul Gandhi even refused to join others in showing appreciation for the President; MPs thumped their desks to demonstrate approval during the speech.

Even when all parliamentarians gave a huge round of applause after President Kovind made mention of the retaliatory counter-terror strikes launched by the Indian armed forces on arch-rival Pakistan in 2016 and 2019, Rahul Gandhi was found staring at the floor of the Central Hall.

Rahul Gandhi’s mother, Congress chairperson Sonia Gandhi stared at her son, perhaps wanting him pay attention to what was being said by the President; he looked unmoved.