NEW DELHI (TIP): Demanding an apology from Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh for his controversial “dog” analogy after killing of two Dalit children in Haryana recently, BSP members today forced two adjournments in the Rajya Sabha.
The minister’s troubles are likely to continue in the Lok Sabha as well with the Congress today mulling his boycott during Question Hour.
In Rajya Sabha, BSP leaders disrupted the House twice late afternoon by storming the well and seeking Singh’s apology for “insulting the Constitution that guarantees protection to Dalits”.
The pandemonium began during a discussion on amendments to the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
Demanding Singh’s exit from the House, BSP MPs trooped into the well and caused two adjournments. BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra said: “He (Singh) has no right to be in the House. He has still not apologised.”
The ruckus led to Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien citing the Constitutional provisions to protect the minister. “Constitutional provision is very clear. It allows the minister to be in the House,” Kurien said, referring to Article 88 of the Constitution.
The government, too, defended Singh with Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu saying: “As per Article 88, all ministers have a right to participate in proceedings of both Houses.”
Largely isolated on the issue, the BSP found some support from few Congress MPs who also entered the well as the BSP demanded that Singh be asked to leave.
BSP MPs finally relented and allowed Home Minister Rajnath Singh to reply to a discussion on the Tamil Nadu flood situation.
Sing, however, may face a similar boycott during Question Hour with sources in the Congress today saying the party was mulling to go out of Lok Sabha as a sign of protest against Singh when he replies to questions on his scheduled day. Discussions on this matter were held today at the meeting of Lok Sabha MPs, which Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi chaired.
In October, after two Dalit children were burnt alive at Sunped village of Haryana’s Faridabad district, Singh had said: “If someone throws stones at a dog, the government is not responsible. It was a feud between two families, the matter in under inquiry.”