Controversial Sadhvi will go on campaigning: BJP

Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti will campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party "as and when required" and there is no question of cancelling her rally, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said on Friday, dismissing suggestions that she was being pulled out after her controversial remarks at a public meeting in Delhi.

Warning that their protest on the issue of controversial remarks made by Jyoti, who is minister of state for food processing industry, will "boomerang", the parliamentary affairs minister accused the opposition parties of repeatedly changing their stance and ruled out outright her resignation.

Naidu emphasised that Jyoti will continue to campaign for the BJP for the upcoming elections adding there should be no confusion in anybody's mind.

"She will campaign as and when required. All other leaders will also campaign for the party. There is no question of cancelling anybody's rally. It all depends on local permission.... Most our MPs are also going to campaign in the coming days in Delhi in a big way," Naidu said.

Jyoti was to address a rally on Thursday 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 but only BJP MP from Aligarh Satish Gautam came there.

Naidu claimed that Congress leaders who had made objectionable statements in the past got away because they were all "big" leaders but Jyoti was being targeted as she was "making a big impact".

"Someone from a village... one woman, first timer to Parliament.... now they are trying to take on her because they are afraid she is influencing people in Uttar Pradesh in a big way," Naidu said.

"I am unable to understand what the demand of the opposition is. They keep on changing their stand. One day they say apology. Second day they say, no, PM should come and then PM comes, third day they say we want resignation. And they will say tomorrow some other resignation. We cannot oblige them, people have given us the mandate," Naidu told reporters outside Parliament.

He said the minister had herself promptly expressed regret and even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken on the matter and the "issue is closed".

"But you come out and then you demonstrate outside just to get some publicity," Naidu said referring to the protest outside Parliament where MPs led by Rahul Gandhi wore black bands as "unfortunate".

Naidu added that an attempt was being made to gain political mileage from the issue and cautioned the Congress that such an attempt would "boomerang."

The parliamentary affairs minister said that earlier opposition parties had wanted prime minister to make a statement after which he spoke in both Houses.

Opposition parties, he said, were claiming that PM is not "seen" but he came and sat through the question hour and even intervened on the issue of Planning Commission and clarified the position.

"On one side you complain PM is not visible. On the other hand when he comes to the house, you go away from the House. This is not a Parliamentary system where you ignore the PM when he is in the House and demand that the PM should come when he is not expected to come," Naidu said.

Attacking the Congress, Naidu asked why the party did not act when its leaders made "all kinds of statements, sometimes dirty statements" against the opposition in the past.

Naidu was asked about the demand by some opposition leaders seeking a resolution condemning the remarks made by Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti.

"What is it about? Is it about all those who have spoken since 1952 till now? Who are those bringing this proposal, who all have they mentioned? First they should tell or there is no question. After the PM has spoken and the minister has apologised, what is the (need of the) proposal.

"This in an attempt to get political advantage, it will boomerang. The Congress must understand," Naidu said.