BJP defends Irani, targets Congress for decision to bring privilege motions

Lambasting the Congress party for its decision to move privilege motions in both Houses against Union Human Resource and Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani her statements on the death of Hyderabad University student Rohith Vemula misled Parliament, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday said had there been motion on the basis of insinuation, no Congress leader would have ever dared to enter Parliament

Defending Irani's statement in Parliament, BJP national spokesperson M.J. Akbar said, "The Congress says the HRD Minister had "insinuated" that Rohith Vemula is not a Dalit, and sought a Privilege Motion. Do we call a privilege motion on the basis insinuation or on the basis of what the minister has said? Had there been motion on the basis of insinuation, no Congress leader would have ever dared to enter Parliament."

Asserting that a minister makes any statement on the basis of official and police accounts, and doesn't concoct it, Akbar said Irani had stated in Parliament that Rohith's suicide note did not blame anyone, while making it categorically clear that this was what the police had stated.

"If police stated that, then she would say only what they had stated, and if something more comes out in the course of investigation or time, then those things would also be incorporated. The HRD Minister said she was being condemned, because her department had issued a letter, however she was just doing her duty," he said.

"But the Congress refuses to accept one thing that the proctorial board and the executive council, which took the decisions on the student's name, the herd of that proctorial board and executive council were nominees of the UPA government. So, recommendations of the proctorial board and the decision of the executive council were taken by those people who were appointed by the Congress," said Akabar.

Lambasting opposition leaders for making "irresponsible" statement, he said, "Opposition leaders are so irresponsible that they make a fresh statement everyday and disappear. But Rahul Gandhi can hide from Parliament, but not from people."

Earlier on Saturday, Rohith Vemula's mother Radhika met Congress president Sonia Gandhi, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury and Janata Dal (United) leader K.C. Tyagi.

Radhika Vemula accused Irani of lying in Parliament that led the opposition parties to decide on cornering the government and the minister on the issue.