NEW DELHI:The Lok Sabha on Monday witnessed ruckus over the purported racial remarks of BJP leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Vijay, with the Opposition demanding that an FIR be registered against him. While the Opposition demanded penal action against him, Union Minister for Home Affairs Rajnath Singh said the matter should be put to rest now that Vijay has apologised for his “indefensible” remark.
Raising the issue after the Question Hour, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge slammed Vijay for his “divisive” statement. “The BJP leader is not an ordinary person. He had been an editor of Panchjanya and has written more than 20 books on the BJP’s ideology. He writes articles in various publications. Such a person has cast aspersions on colour of the people of South India. Such divisive statement cannot be just ignored because he has apologised. The government must take penal action against him,” Kharge said.
The Speaker allowed the Congress leader to raise the issue after an adjournment motion against the remarks of Vijay was rejected by the Chair. The House had to be adjourned soon after it was convened in the morning as Opposition pressed for admission of the adjournment motion.
Rajnath, in his reply, said, “India is a secular country and there is no discrimination on the basis of caste, creed, colour and religion.” “The person referred to by Kharge has already stated that his statement was indefensible and for which he has given an unconditional apology. Since he has already apologised, the matter should rest now. The person referred to is now neither a member of the Lok Sabha nor the Rajya Sabha,” Rajnath said.
However, the Opposition members were apparently not satisfied with Rajnath’s reply and pressed for action. With the Chair not allowing further discussion on the issue, the Opposition members trooped into the well of the House, which led to another adjournment.