Opposition irked at Irani's description of Goddess Durga, terms its derogatory

New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha was adjourned late Thursday evening after an uproar over remarks quoted by Union human resources development minister Smriti Irani which were considered derogatory by the Opposition benches.

For a second straight day Ms Irani made a strong defence of the government’s actions with regard to the JNU issue and suicide of dalit student Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad University in the face of an intense attack by the Opposition.

Ms Irani, who led the BJP’s attack in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, was comparatively mellow in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday as she replied to questions about her performance as also that of the HRD ministry under her. The minister said she had been “rightly” advised by someone to be calm.

However, her reply to a short-duration discussion was cut short as the House was abruptly adjourned after an uproar over certain comments she made while alleging that some elements in JNU had published derogatory pamphlets about Goddess Durga.

As she narrated the descriptive details of the pamphlets, Anand Sharma of the Congress took objection, saying it could set a precedent and in future somebody else could repeat it with regard to gods of other religions. “What is happening here? This is too much. It’s a dangerous precedent. Every religious leader and deity has been derogatorily referred to by some persons. Will all this be discussed here? Can we allow it here? Then there will be a war in the House,” Mr Sharma said.