Pandemonium in LS after uproar over minister's remarks

New Delhi: The opposition demand for resignation of Union minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti for making controversial remarks led to pandemonium in Lok Sabha for the second day on Wednesday, but the government refused to yield.

Members from Congress, Trinamool Congress and RSP staged a walkout after government said that the matter should end as she has already apologised and the Prime Minister has disapproved of her comments.

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi present in the House after his week-long tours, opposition members vociferously pressed for a statement from him. They questioned as to how he was allowing a minister, who uses such abusive language, to remain in his ministry.

BJP members countered strongly the opposition attack on Jyoti, who was present in the House.

Refusing to accept the opposition demand, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said the the matter has ended as she has already apologised and the Prime Minister has disapproved of her comments.

Countering the opposition, he referred to an incident during UPA rule when a central minister had allegedly made derogatory comments against Atal Bihari Vajpayee which led the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to apologise in the House as the minister had refused to do so.

Naidu also reminded the protesting Trinamool Congress MPs about the reported remarks of party MP Tapas Pal at a public meeting where he had allegedly threatened CPI-M cadres and their family members with rape and violence.

Anguished over the government response, the opposition members including those from the Congress, TMC and Left staged a walkout.

Trouble started the moment House met for the day and took up the Question Hour, with Leader of Congress Mallikarjun Kharge said in an apparent sarcasm that it is a privilege that the Prime Minister is present in the House on Monday.

Kharge said he was insisting on his demand for resignation of Jyoti from the Council of Ministers for her controversial remarks in front of the Prime Minister as he is himself present in the House.

Reacting to Kharge's taunt, BJP members retorted saying Modi has been attending Parliamentary proceedings.

Soon, Congress members, joined by Trinamool Congress and MPs from other opposition parties, trooped into the Well demanding a reply from the Prime Minister on the issue. They also demanded her resignation and lodging of an FIR against the Union minister.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said if records are checked, then many members would be found having made controversial remarks in their public life.

As questions were taken up, Congress and Trinamool members continued to raise slogans from the Well. Prime Minister Modi was seen going through the listed business and signing certain papers.

As the din continued, the Speaker adjourned the House for nearly 10 minutes till 11.45 AM. When the House reassembled after the brief adjournment, Kharge reiterated his demand for Jyoti's removal from the Council of Ministers.

However, the Speaker again refused to relent saying the Minister has already expressed her regret in the House for the incident and the matter should be put to rest.

Despite continued protests by members of Congress, TMC, Left parties, NCP, Samajwadi Party and AAP in the Well, the Speaker went ahead with the day's agenda. As soon as the Question Hour ended, the Prime Minister left the House.