New Delhi: The government today refused to yield to the opposition's demand for the sacking of Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti and also shot down a proposal for passage of a resolution condemning her utterances, which have sparked a row and hit the functioning of Parliament.
At a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee of Rajya Sabha, the government rejected a proposal from the opposition to allow passage of a resolution in the House condemning Jyoti's remarks as a formula for letting it function and conduct its pending legislative business.
Sources said that senior BJP leaders Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Venkaiah Naidu and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, among others, have decided they would not agree with any "unjust" demand of the opposition and go ahead with the passage of business even amidst the din caused by opposition members.
BJP sources say the opposition has "lost" an opportunity for a "dignified exit" in the row after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in the Upper House today that he 'strongly disapproved' of the remarks made by Jyoti at a public rally.
The row over the remarks has seen the opposition stalling both Houses with proceedings in Rajya Sabha coming to a virtual standstill despite Jyoti offering an apology to Parliament.
"As far as the demand of resignation of the minister is concerned, she will not resign," said Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. He said that by continuing to disturb the proceedings of the House even after Modi had given a statement in Rajya Sabha, Congress is destroying parliamentary decorum.
"It is the height of arrogance and anarchy by Congress which, after its hit wicket in elections, is trying to bat in Rajya Sabha. By continuous disruptions, Congress is trying to hijack parliamentary dignity and decorum by its arrogance," Naqvi told PTI.
He said the government is serious about its wish for the smooth functioning of Parliament and that is why Jyoti had wasted no time and tendered an apology in both Houses over her remarks on the first day itself.
He also said there is no precedence in Parliament where a matter was not closed following an apology by the minister concerned or any member over any controversial remarks.
