NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday did not mince words while expressing his deep unhappiness over MoS for Food Processing Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti’s alleged offensive remarks during a BJP rally here on Monday evening.
Addressing the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting also attended by BJP chief Amit Shah, Modi, who did not take Jyoti name, told party MPs that they should refrain from making comments, which brought a bad name to the government and the party. “Members should refrain from making speeches and do the work which is assigned to them,” sources said quoting PM. He is also learnt to have questioned the urge of MPs to air their views to the media on every issue.
Later, the PM spoke to the minister, who then reportedly met Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu. And he told her to apologise in both the Houses of Parliament to stop the matter from escalating further. She first apologised in the Lok Sabha and later in the Rajya Sabha. But the matter did not end, as the Opposition parties demand her scalp.
BJP sources said Jyoti’s comments were in bad taste and could affect the party’s image in Delhi. “She does not even know what she has said. She should have exercised caution,” sources said.
Venkaiah said, “We should really appreciate that a first timer, a lady, coming from poor background.. I don’t even want to go back to her social origins. She has come forward to apologise.”