Cong leader's Sita remarks trigger uproar in LS, Irani says

A remark by Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury that "Sita is being burnt" while plans are afoot to build a Ram temple created an uproar in the House on Friday, with union minister Smriti Irani hitting back at the opposition for politicising and communalising the issue.

Raising the issue of setting afire of a rape survivor in Uttar Praesh's Unnao during Zero Hour, Chowdhury said while on the one hand plans are afoot to build a Ram temple (in Ayodhya), on the other hand Sita is being burnt.

He said while there are talks to make Uttar Pradesh a Uttam Pradesh (best state), it is become "Adharm Pradesh" (broadly land of lawlessness).

Intervening, Irani said it was unfortunate that incidents of rape and killing of women are being communalised and politicised.

She said the opposition members are not referring to a similar case in Malda in West Bengal.

"Yes, setting afire a woman is condemnable, yes, the rape and killing of a woman is inhuman, but do not politicise the issue. No one has ever communalised the issue in this House," she said.

T N Prathapan (Cong) came to the aisle near the Well and shouted something. He was pulled back by some Congress and NCP members.