Government faces heat in Rajya Sabha over inflammatory speeches

Gulam Nabi Azaid said rresponsible speeches by elected representatives sending wrong signal

The government faced a tough time in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday as opposition members raised the issue of what they called "hate and inflammatory" speeches by BJP MPs and legislators in different parts of the country.

The irresponsible speeches by elected representatives of the people were sending wrong signal among the masses and the practice should be stopped, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said.

The Congress leader was speaking on a calling attention motion regarding speeches made by union ministers and other elected representatives in violation of the Constitution and the oath of office they take.

"What message do you want to send out to the people across the country," he asked the union government while naming BJP lawmakers like union Minister of State for Human Rresource Development Ram Shankar Katheria, Yogi Adityanath and Sakshi Maharaj who have been caught on camera making such statements.

"These are the leaders who continue to make inflammatory speeches," the Congress leader said.

Azad said it seemed that the union government and the Bharatiya Janata Party had "two different agendas".

Asking for Home Minister Rajnath Singh's attention to his submissions, Azad said: "There is a problem. The BJP has its own agenda which is different from that of the government."

He urged the home minister to book the culprits and send them to jail.

D Raja of the Communist Party of India also expressed similar sentiments and said that by making such speeches the public representatives were insulting "Mother India".

Raja asked Rajnath Singh why the government had not taken action against Katheria and others.

The Left leader also expressed disappointment that people like Nathuram Godse, who killed Mahatma Gandhi, were honoured by the BJP.

Husain Dalwai of the Congress said this was happening ever since the National Democratic Alliance government came to power at the Centre.

"I have not seen such a weak prime minister who cannot control his own people," he remarked. "Is it a government of the BJP or the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh," the Congress leader asked.

Sharad Yadav of the Janata Dal-United and Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati also expressed concern over the issue.

Yadav said the precious time of the house was being wasted by discussing such issues.

"Had the BJP controlled its members, this time could have been used to discuss important issues the country is facing," he said.

Similarly, Mayawati said had there been a BSP government in Uttar Pradesh, she would have sent Katheria to jail.

"Katheria should have been sent to jail. Had I been in power, I would have sent him to jail - the place he belongs to," she added.

Other opposition members also echoed the same sentiments over the issue, urging the government to pay heed to it.