Opposition targets Govt. over Niranjan Jyoti's remarks, insists on moving resolution

Launching a fresh attack on the Centre over the controversial remarks made by Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, a united opposition on Monday insisted on moving a resolution in Parliament condemning any such statement made by any Member of Parliament or a member of the Council of Ministers.

"This House strongly disapproves any statement made by any Member of Parliament and a member of the Union Council of Minister that is inflammatory, derogatory and violates the letter and spirit of the Constitution and the law of the land," said senior Congress leader Anand Sharma while reading out the resolution.

"This is the most reasonable proposal which the opposition has made, it is now before the House. If after this, the government does not accept the blame of House not conducting any business lies with the government, its obduracy and its arrogance," he added.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress leader Derek'O Brien said that this is the view shared by his party, the Congress, the Samajwadi Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Janata Dal (United), the CPI, the CPM, the DMK and the NCP.

Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav on his part said the government should not blame the opposition for non-functioning of the Parliament if it is unwilling to accept the resolution.

Endorsing the views of Ram Gopal Yadav and CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury, Sharma further said "The government's statement that the Prime Minister came to the House gives an impression as if it is obligatory and the opposition should be obliged that the Prime Minister came to the House. He has not done any favour. It took the honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi three days to come from his office to the House."

"We heard the Prime Minister with respect, in utmost silence and took what he said in the right spirit and thereafter we came down from the demand of resignation to a censure motion and from there to a general resolution which disapproves of any such statement made by any Member of Parliament or a member of the Council of Ministers," he added.

The Rajya Sabha was earlier in the day adjourned till noon with the entire opposition insisting on moving a resolution seeking disapproval of behaviour by any member of the House, including Ministers which is inflammatory and derogatory to the Constitution. As soon as the House met for the day, the opposition insisted on moving the resolution to break the impasse in the House over the objectionable remarks made by Niranjan Jyoti.

The opposition members remained unrelenting over their demand and trooped into the well of the House seeking voting over their proposed resolution. Amidst noisy scenes, the Chair adjourned the house till noon.