Controversial remarks by Union Minister Niranjan Jyoti on Tuesday rocked Parliament with a united opposition forcing repeated adjournments demanding her sacking even as she expressed regrets and offered to apologise.
The Minister has stoked a controversy by allegedly making an inflammatory speech and using an expletive in an election rally here, drawing severe flak from opposition which accused BJP of pursuing divisive politics and demanded that she be sacked.
Soon after both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha met for the day, opposition members created uproar over her the remarks. Seeking her resignation, they also sought an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Members of Congress, TMC, SP and other opposition parties rushed to the Well leading to four adjournments in the Rajya Sabha and one in the Lok Sabha during pre-lunch sitting.
Congress had given adjournment notices in both Houses on the issue, which were rejected.
Seeking to mollify the agitated members in the Lok Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said it was a “serious” matter and the minister concerned wanted to express regrets in the House.
“My intention was not to hurt anyone. If my speech outside the House has hurt anyone, I express my deep regrets and accept...,” Ms. Jyoti said in Lok Sabha.
In Rajya Sabha, she said, “If certain words spoken by me outside the House have hurt someone, I take back my words and offer regrets. However, if the House feels so, I am also ready to seek an apology.”
Even this failed to satisfy the agitated members in the Upper House as they continued to create uproar demanding apology from the Prime Minister as well.
Later, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who is also Leader of the Rajya Sabha said Ms. Jyoti’s remarks were “improper and unacceptable”.
Objectionable: Kharge
As soon as Lok Sabha met for the day, Leader of Congress Mallikarjun Kharge reminded Speaker Sumitra Mahajan of the adjournment notices given by him and his party colleagues over the reported statement of the minister as well as certain remarks made by another minister Giriraj Singh in past.
The Speaker rejected the notices saying though the matter is of urgent importance, the business of the day cannot be allowed to be disrupted. She, however, suggested that members can raise the issue during Zero Hour.
Mr. Kharge said the “objectionable” language used by Ms. Jyoti has created tension at a time when there have been communal riots.
Several Congress and Trinamool Congress members rushed to the Well shouting slogans.
Congress members were heard demanding apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Please go back to your seats. Please have faith in the Chair,” Speaker Sumitra Mahajan told the agitated members.
Jyotiraditya Scindia (Cong), who led the opposition attack, was appreciated by Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, who was seen patting him after the minister expressed regret.
"Apology won't do, she must resign"
In the Rajya Sabha, government had a tough time in mollifying the agitated members from Congress, Left, Samajwadi Party, RJD and Bahujan Samaj Party as many of them said they were not satisfied with an apology and wanted her to resign while a few also demanded registration of an FIR against her.
The Upper House saw two brief adjournments during Zero Hour and another two during Question Hour. The Lok Sabha saw one brief adjournment.
Seeking to raise the issue during Zero Hour, former Law Minister Ashwani Kumar (Cong) in his notice to Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari said the remarks hurt the foundation of democracy and the republican ethos of the country.
Naresh Agrawal (SP) sought a discussion on the issue and passage of a resolution by the House condemning the remarks.
Digvijay Singh (Cong) and Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (TMC) said the remarks amounted to criminal offence and asked as to how she can get away with “mere tendering of an apology” as she has also “violated” the oath she took as a minister by making such remarks.
“Only offering an apology will serve no purpose. She will have to resign,” they said.
At this Mr. Naidu lost his cool and had a heated argument with the Congress leader.
Mr. Singh hit back protesting the Parliamentary Affairs Minister’s remarks that people have “rejected” Congress.
Sharad Yadav (JD—U) said the issue is not about one minister and recalled that another minister Giriraj Singh had also some time back had made controversial comments.
“They should understand that they have got only 30 per cent of votes. 70 per cent of people have voted the Opposition,” he said as he also made a brief reference of burning of a church in Dilshad Garden area in Delhi, saying such an incident had happened here for the first time in last 70 years.
The ruckus continued when the House resumed after Question Hour with the entire Opposition on their feet demanding the resignation of Jyoti and lodging an FIR against her even as the Leader of the House Arun Jaitley described her remarks as “improper and unacceptable.”
Members from Opposition parties like Anand Sharma (Cong), Sitaram Yechury (CPI—M), Ram Gopal Yadav (SP), D Raja (CPI) and Sharad Yadav (JD—U) were unanimous in demanding that the Minister’s remarks were “unconstitutional” and she should be sacked from the Cabinet.
While Sharma demanded Jyoti’s arrest, Yechury contended that by apologising, the Minister has accepted her “offence”, which is cognisable and thus, an FIR should be lodged against her.
Ram Gopal Yadav demanded her resignation while Sharad Yadav said that unless an FIR was lodged against her, such kind of remarks would be repeated from the ruling party.
Raja also contended that such remarks were not “isolated” and the Chairman, as a custodian of the House and the Constitution, should take action so that they did not recur.
Mr. Jaitley said since the Minister has “apologised”, the House should continue.
He, however, said the House cannot decide whether her action was criminal in nature and it should be left for the agencies outside the House.
The Opposition did not relent with members from both Congress and SP trooping into the Well continuing with their demand for Jyoti’s resignation.
Amid din, Chairman Hamid Ansari adjourned the House for 10 minutes first and then till 2 PM.
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