Rahul Gandhi was seen scrolling through his phone and then typing away for about 24 minutes of President Kovind's one-hour speech.

Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma on Thursday defended Rahul Gandhi's lack of attention during President Ram Nath Kovind's speech to the joint session of the Parliament earlier in the day. Justifying Rahul Gandhi's phone fiddling during half of President's address, Anand Sharma said that Congress chief was trying to translate "difficult Hindi words which weren't heard properly".

"He was listening to whatever was necessary. There were queries, certain difficult Hindi words which weren't heard properly. There was no disrespect on his part. I think it is very frivolous of the party to make such a comment. If the footage is taken half of the BJP president will be seen talking to each other," Anand Sharma told media.

Rahul Gandhi was seen scrolling through his phone and then typing away for about 24 minutes of President Kovind's one-hour speech.

When the entire House broke into a loud round of applause after President Kovind mentioned the Uri surgical strikes and the Balakot airstrike, even Sonia Gandhi thumped the table in appreciation but Rahul Gandhi kept staring at the floor unmoved.

This prompted Sonia Gandhi to stare at him a few times but Rahul Gandhi continued to sit still.

After he kept his phone down, the Congress chief was seen clicking photos of the Parliament and talking to Sonia Gandhi for about 20 minutes while President Kovind continued to discuss key achievements of the Modi government in the past five years.

Rahul Gandhi's behaviour once again prompted the remarks form the Bharatiya Janata Party, which accused him of being indisciplined and uninterested in the national affairs.