RS MPs condemn Sangh leaders' inflammatory remarks

Opposition members in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday expressed serious concern over reports that some Sangh Parivar leaders had allegedly sought to take "revenge" on the minority community for the killing of a Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader, with a nominated member making a fervent plea for preserving the unity and diversity of the country.

The government also condemned the reported statements in the House.

Making a Zero Hour mention, Anu Jha accused some Sangh Parivar members of recently giving a call for taking "revenge" on the minority community, terming them 'demons'.

"Such incidents should be stopped and condemned," she said, adding that "in a peace-loving Hindu dominated country, public statements by persons in responsibility goes against the inclusive ethos of the country."

At a condolence meeting in Agra for a VHP worker who was killed recently, speakers reportedly made inflammatory statements and swore to take revenge on the minorities.

Jha said such statements derailed the development agenda and appealed for forgetting differences and joining hands to preserve the unity, diversity and integrity of the country and restore sanity.

Several opposition members supported her and raised their hands to associate with her.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that he agreed with Jha on maintaining unity and harmony and added no destructive agenda can dominate development agenda.

Naqvi said that the government does not support such incidents and "we condemn it."

Congress leader Madhusudan Mistry raised the issue of the RSS and BJP members reportedly throwing black ink on the statue of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on February 19 in Badaun town of Uttar Pradesh.

"While Nehru went to jail for country's freedom, those who assisted the British and did not hoist national flag at the RSS headquarters are now teaching nationalism," he said.

"Our leader is being given life threats by a Rajasthan MLA and such statements are not even being condemned," he alleged and added that no action has been taken against those responsible from throwing ink at Nehru's statue.

He demanded that the Samajwadi Party government in UP be directed to take action.

When Deputy Chairman P J Kurien asked if the government will seek report on the matter, the minister replied that it was a law and order issue which is a state subject.

Image: Congress members protest against MoS for HRD Ram Shankar Katheria over his alleged hate speech in Agra, at Parliament house in New Delhi. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI