New Delhi : The Opposition Wednesday continued to press for the removal of union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti for her abusive remarks, as its stalemate with the government on the issue disrupted proceedings of the Rajya Sabha for the second consecutive day.
A united opposition created an uproar in both houses, leading to repeated adjournments in the Rajya Sabha and once in the Lok Sabha.
Delhi Police Wednesday registered a complaint against the minister.
Both the houses got off to a stormy start, with the opposition members demanding the resignation of the minister of state for food processing who had used abusive language in her speech at a Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party rally.
“Aapko tay karna hai ki Dilli mein sarkar Ramzadon ki banegi ya haramzadon ki. (You have to decide if you want a government in Delhi to be led by children of Lord Ram or illegitimate children),” she was quoted as saying at the rally.
In the Rajya Sabha where the government is in minority, the opposition members advanced to the Chairman’s podium, shouted slogans and demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s explanation on the issue.
“We feel shame in repeating what the minister said. A mere apology is unacceptable,” Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Sitaram Yechury said.
Congress leader Anand Sharma said: “We don’t accept apology. The prime minister should come to the house and sack the minister. It is a cognizable and non-compoundable crime, punishable up to three years in jail.”
Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien had to thrice adjourn the proceedings of the house, before adjourning the house till 2 p.m.
Post lunch, opposition members continued shouting slogans and demanded the minister’s dismissal from the council of ministers.
Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav said Jyoti’s comment was against the secular spirit of the Constitution.
As the disruptions continued, the house was adjourned for the day.
Similar scenes were witnessed in the Lok Sabha, where Prime Minister Modi was present.
Raising the issue, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said: “As the prime minister is present here today, I want the minister to be asked to resign.”
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Pratap Rudy said the minister has already apologised.
“Yesterday (Tuesday), the issue was discussed and the minister also apologised. Why are they raising the issue again?” he said.
The speaker also dismissed the adjournment motion and notice for suspension of question hour. MPs went near the speaker’s podium shouting slogans like ‘PM Jawab do’ (prime minister must answer).
Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said all members will have to apologise if such issues get raised all the time.
The house was adjourned briefly amid din and resumed worked later.
Talking to reporters later, Parliamentary Affairs M. Venkaiah Naidu ruled out resignation of the minister and took a dig at the opposition.
“All parties had moved ahead after accepting Sadhvi’s statement of regret yesterday (Tuesday). I don’t know what changed today (Wednesday). I don’t know why the issue was raised once again in parliament,” Naidu said.
He said the previous Congress-led government had not removed Beni Prasad Verma as union minister following objectionable remarks made by him.