Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti has apologized for her offensive language at a public meeting in Delhi yesterday. Speaking to a news agency this afternoon, she said if someone has been hurt by her comment, she takes her words back and apologizes. Her apology came amid Opposition demanding her resignation from the government. Congress said, her apology is a case of too little too late. Talking to AIR outside Parliament Ashwani Kumar of the Congress termed her remark as divisive and unacceptable. He said merely regretting on it is not enough and Prime Minister should sack her.
BSP chief Mayawati said that Nirajan Jyoti should resigned immediately on moral grounds. She told reporters outside Parliament that if Ms Jyoti is not resigning on her own, Prime Minister should remove her from the Council of Ministers.
Samajwadi leader Ram Gopal Yadav alleged that by using such language, the Minister is working against the Constitution of the country.
CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury demanded lodging of an FIR against her. D Raja of the CPI told AIR that what the Minister has said is against the oath she had taken in the name of the Constitution. Mr Raja said the remarks are against the country’s secular character. Ms Jyoti’s remarks came while she was addressing a BJP rally in West Delhi yesterday.
Meanwhile, Parliament today witnessed uproar over alleged remarks made by Union ministers Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti with opposition forcing brief adjournments of both the Houses. Soon after the Lok Sabha met, opposition members raised the issue seeking adjournment of question hours. The Speaker Sumitra Mahajan disallowed the motion quoting the rules. Expressing their dissatisfaction the members trooped into the well raising slogans and waving newspaper clippings. Mrs. Mahajan tried to conduct the question hour amidst din. As noisy scene continued,She adjourned the House. As soon as the House met after first adjournment the scene was not different. Parliamentary affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu intervened and said that the Minister is ready to regret in the House. Minister of State Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti expressed regret in the Lok Sabha on her alleged remark. In her statement, the Minister said that it was not aimed to hurt anyone’s feeling. After her regret functioning of the House resumed. After Ms Niranjan Jyoti's regret, the Lok Sabha resumed functioning
In Rajya Sabha, the issue was raised by Congress members during the Zero Hour. Anand Sharma of Congress said it was not expected of a minister to use such foul language. He demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should come to Parliament saying that he is always out of Delhi on visits. Sitaram Yechuri of the CPIM told BJP benches to forget bringing black money back to the country but bring Mr Modi to Parliament.
Responding to this Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said decency of the language should be maintained by the members on both sides. Amidst noisy scenes, Deputy Chairman Prof. P J Kurien adjourned the House till 2 PM.
