New Delhi: Images of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley showing a mobile video to three opposition leaders piqued the curiosity of social media on Tuesday.
The photo was clicked after an all-party meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The agenda was smooth functioning of parliament. But it got overshadowed by the developments in the JNU case.
The opposition wanted the Prime Minister to intervene before Parliament debates the issue in the budget session starting February 24.
The Prime Minister assured the leaders that their concerns will be addressed. After more than two hours, the leaders emerged from the PM's South Block office and Parliamentary Affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu proceeded to brief the media from a special podium.
Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and his deputy in Rajya Sabha walked out and waited for their turn to speak to the media. Within minutes, finance minister Arun Jaitley, too, walked out, followed by D Raja of the CPI.
A conversation started and Mr Azad was seen waving his hand in minor disagreement. Mr Raja was nodding in agreement.
Suddenly Mr Jaitley, who at one time was the lone politician in Delhi to own a Vertu smartphone, pulled out his iPhone 6s. A few taps on the screen and the quartet crowded in to watch the flickering screen.
A little later, Mr Jaitley, with a triumphant air, pocketed the phone and looked at Mr Azad and Mr Sharma. Mr Azad was seen nodding while Mr Sharma rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Soon after, Mr Azad walked to the vacant podium and started by saying that the Congress by no means endorses or supports anyone challenging the Indian constitution or raising of anti-India slogans.
One of the four leaders later told NDTV that an argument had started over the validity of the claim that anti-India slogans were raised at the JNU campus.
The Congress leaders did not believe that it happened. So to prove his point, Mr Jaitley, who is known to keep a lot of "evidence" for "instant display" on his mobile, played the video clip that showed the slogan raising.
