Cutting across the political divide, Rajya Sabha today unequivocally condemned former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju for calling Mahatma Gandhi a British agent and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose a Japanese one by unanimously adopting a resolution moved by Chairman Hamid Ansari.
The Zero Hour saw members from opposition and treasury benches coming together to condemn Justice Katju's remarks in his blog with the entire House later unanimously adopting a resolution by a voice vote.
"This House expresses its unequivocal condemnation of the recent remarks of the former judge of the Supreme Court, Shri Justice Markandey Katju, against the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, who led the Indian National Army for the freedom of the country," said the resolution read out by Ansari.
Earlier, the government had agreed to bring a resolution condemning Katju's statement, but it was decided that the resolution should come from the Chair.
Leader of the House Arun Jaitley said he shared the anguish of the members and "outrightly condemned" it.
"It is unquestionable that Gandhi probably has been the greatest citizen of India in the recent era," he said, terming the role the Father of the Nation in freedom struggle as paramount and the single biggest contributor.
Jaitley said in addition, this also was reflective of the present system by which individuals with "this kind of mindset" get appointed as judges of the apex court. This, he said, speaks of the "weakness of the present system which we are trying to change".
