New Delhi: After having caused disruptions in both Houses of Parliament by his controversial remarks on secularism and changing the Constitution, Union minister Anant Kumar Hegde on Thursday tendered apology in Lok Sabha, though it came after a nudge from Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.
The minister also claimed that his speech at a function in Karnataka, where he had made the comments, was distorted.
Meanwhile Congress president Mr Rahul Gandhi charged the BJP of attacking the Constitution. Mr Hegde was allowed to talk by the Speaker. He first said that he held the country, the Constitution and its architect B.R. Ambedkar in high esteem and there was no question of showing disrespect to them. “As a citizen, I can’t think of violating the Constitution,” he said.
After this, the Congress, led by Mallikarjun Kharge, again protested demanding an apology from him.
The Speaker then intervened and told the minister that there was no question of anyone showing disrespect to Dr Ambedkar but, at times, if someone says something, his or her statement sometimes hurt someone else and for that if the person tenders apology, his stature would not get lowered.
With Ms Mahajan’s nudge, the minister said his speech was presented in a distorted manner. “If someone is hurt, I have no hesitation to tender apology,” he said.
At a function in Karnataka on Sunday, he had reportedly said people should identify themselves by their religion and “those who, without knowing about their parental blood, call themselves secular, they don’t have their own identity... They don’t know about their parentage.” He had also said “we are here to change the Constitution and we’ll change it.
