New Delhi: Even before the Lok Sabha met for the day, Congress leaders staged a sit-in protest before the Gandhi statue in Parliament and shouted slogans against the government.
As soon as the House assembled, Congress president Sonia Gandhi led the Opposition members in raising slogans against the BJP member and the government.
Amid ruckus in the House, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan asked Sakshi Maharaj to tender an apology, after which the BJP MP said he respected the Mahatma and the House, and "I withdraw my remarks if those have hurt anybody’s sentiments". He then added: "My friends have no issue... Godse killed Gandhi long back, but you killed the Mahatma’s ideology in 1984 during the anti-Sikh riots".
The Opposition members were still agitated, saying that Sakshi Maharaj’s remarks had hurt the sentiments of all Indians, and that he should apologise unconditionally. Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said the Opposition would not allow the government to have its way just because it had a big majority. As the din continued, Mr Naidu said the member had already withdrawn his remarks. The government and the BJP "condemns" and "dissociates" itself from such comments, he added.
At the same time, he attacked Congress members, saying Mahatma Gandhi had never indulged in or approved of such conduct or had threatened anyone. The Speaker then again prodded Sakshi Maharaj, who said: "I express regret before the House and the country."
A delegation of Pakistani legislators was in the Speaker’s Gallery at that time watching the House proceedings. Earlier, trouble began when the Speaker referred to the December 13, 2001 Parliament attack on the eve of its anniversary on Saturday, and Congress and JD(U) MPs referred to the BJP MP’s controversial remarks. When the Speaker informed she had rejected notices for an adjournment motion and suspension of Question Hour to take up the issue, members from the Congress, RJD, JD(U), TMC and Left parties trooped into the Well, raising slogans against the government and Sakshi Maharaj.
Ms Mahajan took up Question Hour amid slogans like "Hey Ram, hey Ram; Gandhi ke hatyare ko diya samman (eulogising Gandhi’s killer)" and "Doshi sarkar hai hai (down with the guilty government)". As the pandemonium continued, Ms Mahajan adjourned the House for 10 minutes around 11.15 am, 15 minutes after it had assembled. As soon as the House reassembled, Mr Naidu said nobody could accept eulogising the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi.
He said the government and the BJP did not agree with the MP’s views. When Congress members said they were not satisfied with the minister’s reply, Mr Naidu shot back, saying there are people who are "killing" the ideology of the Mahatma every day. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, who is peeved at frequent disruptions of the Lok Sabha almost every day, while controlling her anger, sarcastically asked the protesting Opposition members: "What do you want? Should I set aside the first five minutes for apologies every day?"
She asked Sakshi Maharaj to express regret, which the BJP MP did immediately. But even after that, the MPs from the Opposition were not satisfied, and continued to raise slogans. A visibly exasperated Speaker shot back, saying: "What more do you want? Should I ask him to fall at your feet?"
