By IANS,
New Delhi : The Rajya Sabha witnessed some unsavoury moments Tuesday after tabling of the Liberhan Commission report when, provoked by the raising of religious slogans, Samajwadi Party (SP) general secretary Amar Singh attacked Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) S.S. Ahluwalia. However, both apologised to each other later.
When some BJP members raised slogans like “Jai Shri Ram” after tabling of the Liberhan report on the Babri Masjid demolition, fisticuffs broke out between Amar Singh and Ahluwalia and others.
The slogan shouting angered Amar Singh, who got up and advanced menacingly toward Ahluwalia and objected to the slogans. The Samajwadi Party leader also tried to push Ahluwalia away, but was in turn violently pushed back. This led to other members joining in the scuffle.
Amar Singh said later that he did not want a repetition of the events that followed the demolition of the Babri Masjid on Dec 6, 1992. The demolition triggered widespread communal riots in the country.
Apologising for the attack, Amar Singh said later: “I had asked Ahluwalia not to raise communal slogans. Mujhse galti ho gai (I made a mistake),” he said.
He added that the Rajya Sabha member should not have maligned the name of Lord Ram by raising such slogans.
“It is a sad episode and for the first time I was not in control of my emotions. I request them (members of the house) not to provoke me and avoid sloganeering. We are old friends,” Singh told the house.
Regretting the incident, Ahluwalia said: “We have worked together and are good friends. I wish whatever happened today (Tuesday) should not have happened and it is very unfortunate.”
The Liberhan Commission report has indicted many BJP leaders for the razing of the mosque.