'Not even a dog of BJP died for the country', uproar in Rajya Sabha over Cong chief Kharge's remark
New Delhi, Dec 20: Ruling and opposition members in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday sparred over certain remarks made by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Rajasthan's Alwar, with treasury bench members seeking an apology from him for the "foul" comments.
However, Kharge refused to do so while maintaining that the BJP had no role in the country's freedom struggle. He insisted that the remarks were made outside Parliament and should not be discussed in the House.
At a rally in Rajasthan on Monday, Kharge claimed that while the Congress stood for the country and helped attain Independence after its leaders gave supreme sacrifices, "not even a dog of the BJP was lost" for the country.
He had also alleged that the BJP government "talks like a lion but acts like a mouse" as it is not taking on China for indulging in incursions along the border and is running away from a debate on the issue in Parliament.
Soon after papers were laid in the Upper House and the chairman announced that YSRCP leader V Vijay Sai Reddy and nominated member P T Usha have been nominated on the panel of vice chairman of the house, treasury bench members were up on their feet demanding an apology from the Congress leader.
Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar urged protesting treasury bench members to resume their seats and even asked Leader of House (LoH) Piyush Goyal to persuade the members to maintain decorum in the House.
As protests continued, the Chairman said he does not "appreciate such unruly scenes and chaotic behaviour" in the House.
"This House, either side, is a platform of expression. This House has to reflect and take note of everything that happens outside. ...everything spoken here carries a great weight. Anyone wants to take anything should take recourse to rules," he said and asked the LoH to present the point the Treasury members want to make in the House.
Goyal said, "Yesterday, Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge used foul language in his speech at Alwar. He made baseless remarks and tried to keep untruth before the nation. I strongly condemn it and demand an apology from him."
Kharge should apologise to the BJP and the House which has maximum members from the saffron party, he said.
"The way he has used the foul langauge reflected his thinking and jealousy. ....He (Kharge) may be jealous that his party is not being accepted by people. Use of such foul language is an insult of this House and all citizens," Goyal said.
He further said that after the country's Independence Mahatma Gandhi had said that the Congress should be disbanded, and Kharge's behaviour shows what the Father of the Nation had said was true.
Kharge does not even know how to give a speech. Till he apologises, he has no right to stay in the House, he added.
As Treasury members continued to demand an apology, the chairman asked the LoH to control members and maintain decorum.
Kharge said there was no need to discuss the issue as the remarks were made in Alwar during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
"What I had said politically was outside the House and not in the House. There is no need to discuss here," he said
Kharge's statement evoked unruly scenes in the House and the Chairman asked the members not to set a bad example.
"We are setting a very bad example. ..This kind of conduct gives a bad name...Even the observations of the chair that are wholesome are indigestible. What a painful scenario we are having. Trust me, 135 crore people are laughing at us. They are concerned and thinking that we cannot listen to each other," the chair said.
There may be a difference of opinion among members but one should not indulge in "tit for tat" like children, he said and asked Kharge to continue his statement.
Kharge said, "If I repeat what I said outside it would be difficult for them. You are asking an apology from those who fought for the country's Independence. They accused the Congress of holding 'Bharat Todo Yatra', to which I responded by saying that Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi gave their lives for the country. Who has given life from your side (saffron party)?"
Goyal said the Congress leader has no right to make such a statement as he does not remember history. He does not recall what happened in Jammu and Kashmir, and how China took over 38,000 km land from India during their regime.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Kharge on Monday said when Rahul Gandhi talked about the border dispute with China at a presser recently, BJP leaders raised the matter alleging that he was trying to break the country and that he has no respect for Indian soldiers.
The Modi government claims that they are very strong, it pats itself on the back claiming no one can look into its eyes, but disputes and clashes are rising at the border, Kharge had said.
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Trouble ‘Miyas’ everywhere only then they will leave Assam: Himanta Biswa Sarma
Says “Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP are openly against them, we are saying it openly
New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that four to five lakh “Miya voters” would be removed from the electoral rolls in the state once the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists is carried out. He also made a series of controversial remarks openly targeting the Miya community, a term commonly used in Assam in a derogatory sense to refer to Bengali-speaking Muslims.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an official programme in Digboi in Tinsukia district, Sarma said it was his responsibility to create difficulties for the Miya community and claimed that both he and the BJP were “directly against Miyas”.
“Four to five lakh Miya votes will have to be deleted in Assam when the SIR happens,” Sarma said, adding that such voters “should ideally not be allowed to vote in Assam, but in Bangladesh”. He asserted that the government was ensuring that they would not be able to vote in the state.
The chief minister was responding to questions about notices issued to thousands of Bengali-speaking Muslims during the claims and objections phase of the ongoing Special Revision (SR) of electoral rolls in Assam. While the Election Commission is conducting SIR exercises in 12 states and Union Territories, Assam is currently undergoing an SR, which is usually meant for routine updates.
Calling the current SR “preliminary”, Sarma said that a full-fledged SIR in Assam would lead to large-scale deletion of Miya voters. He said he was unconcerned about criticism from opposition parties over the issue.
“Let the Congress abuse me as much as they want. My job is to make the Miya people suffer,” Sarma said. He claimed that complaints filed against members of the community were done on his instructions and that he had encouraged BJP workers to keep filing complaints.
“I have told people wherever possible they should fill Form 7 so that they have to run around a little and are troubled,” he said, adding that such actions were meant to send a message that “the Assamese people are still living”.
In remarks that drew further outrage, Sarma urged people to trouble members of the Miya community in everyday life, claiming that “only if they face troubles will they leave Assam”. He also accused the media of sympathising with the community and warned journalists against such coverage.
“So you all should also trouble, and you should not do news that sympathise with them. There will be love jihad in your own house.” He said.
The comments triggered reactions from opposition leaders. Raijor Dal president and MLA Akhil Gogoi said the people of Assam had not elected Sarma to keep one community under constant pressure. Congress leader Aman Wadud accused the chief minister of rendering the Constitution meaningless in the state, saying his remarks showed a complete disregard for constitutional values.
According to the draft electoral rolls published on December 27, Assam currently has 2.51 crore voters. Election officials said 4.78 lakh names were marked as deceased, 5.23 lakh as having shifted, and 53,619 duplicate entries were removed during the revision process. Authorities also claimed that verification had been completed for over 61 lakh households.
On January 25, six opposition parties the Congress, Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad, CPI, CPI(M) and CPI(M-L) submitted a memorandum to the state’s chief electoral officer. They alleged widespread legal violations, political interference and selective targeting of genuine voters during the SR exercise, describing it as arbitrary, unlawful and unconstitutional.
