Minister is from rural background, be generous: PM Modi on Niranjan Jyoti's remark row
New Delhi: Strongly condemning the comments made by Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday appealed opposition MPs to allow the House to function and consider her apology.
Making a statement in the Lok Sabha, he emphasised that everyone should understand limits in public discourse. "... it is our duty that we understand our limits in public life and stay within our limits while making public discourse. Now we should allow the matter to rest and we should continue with our work in national interest," Modi said.
He also said that the lawmakers must be generous towards the minister and forgive her. “When one of our colleagues asks for forgiveness, we should show generosity,” said Modi.
“The Minister concerned apologised. She is a first time member and comes from a rural background. We should move ahead with our work of taking the nation ahead,” he added.
Earlier, Modi had sent a strong message to BJP MPs to refrain from using such derogatory language and speak out of turn.
Meanwhile, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi joined other opposition leaders to protest outside the Parliament against the hate speech.
Read: 'I apologised. What more can I do?' says Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti on hate speech
Wearing black bands, opposition leaders carried placards demanding her to be sacked. On Thursday, PM Narendra Modi told the Rajya Sabha that he has strongly criticized the expletive used by the minister and also urged BJP MPs not to utter such words.
Rahul Gandhi & other Opposition MPs tie black cloth around their mouth in protest aganst Min Niranjan Jyoti's comment pic.twitter.com/5VVxXFPXgz
— ANI (@ANI_news) December 5, 2014BJP has cancelled Jyoti's speeches and said that she will not be involved in the party’s election campaign in the national capital. Ms Jyoti was to address the rally at Gole Market area in Central Delhi, as part of party chief Amit Shah’s directive to around 300 BJP MPs to campaign in the city for the upcoming assembly polls.
The decision to not allow her to address the rally came as an unrelenting Opposition kept up its pressure on the government, demanding her sacking for allegedly making communal remarks.
For the fourth consecutive day, Congress and other opposition parties disrupted proceedings in Rajya Sabha demanding action against Jyoti, forcing its adjournment till noon.
Immediately after Railway Minister Suresh Pradhu took oath, the entire Opposition was on its feet raising the issue. Barely had the listed papers been laid, slogan shouting members rushed into the Well.
"Mantri to barkhast karo (sack the minister)," they shouted. Deputy Chairman P J Kurien took up Zero Hour mentions even as there was no relenting in slogan shouting.
Anand Sharma (Cong) said the opposition benches patiently heard Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement on the issue yesterday but want to know what action is the government has taken against the minister.
Read: Political punishment must for Sadhvi Jyoti
"It is for you and the government to sit together and come to a conclusion. What can I do," Kurien said. "If the members don't want the House to run, what can Chair do?" Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said Congress was stalling business of national importance despite Jyoti expressing regret.
It is the mindset of the top leaders of the country to not allow democratic conversation in the House : Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/34NokMYj1M
— ANI (@ANI_news) December 5, 2014