BJP seeks apology from SP's Ramji Lal Suman, disrupts proceedings in Rajya Sabha

Leader of the Opposition and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said he and his party respect all patriots who fought and laid down their lives for the country.

New Delhi: Ruling BJP MPs on Friday forced a 30-minute adjournment of proceedings in the Rajya Sabha as they demanded an unqualified apology from Samajwadi Party leader Ramji Lal Suman for his 'condemnable' remarks against Rajput king Rana Sanga.

BJP MPs were up on their feet no sooner had the House met for the day, shouting slogans.

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Chairman Jadeep Dhankhar as well as Union ministers and senior leaders from opposition Congress weighed in on the issue, but they persisted with their demand, forcing adjournment of the proceedings.

Suman rose to speak but BJP MPs started shouting slogans. Dhankhar gave him the floor but the slogan-shouting did not stop, forcing him to adjourn the proceedings till 12 noon.

Calling Rana Sanga a symbol of chivalry, patriotism and nationalism, Dhankhar called Suman's remarks as "highly disparaging, objectionable and painful."

The SP MP had kicked up a row calling Rana Sanga a "traitor" for inviting Babur to India to defeat Ibrahim Lodi. He has so far refused to apologise or withdraw his statement. This statement has angered many with scores of purported activists from the Karni Sena vandalising his Agra house.

When the House met for the day, BJP MPs were up on their feet protesting against Suman's remarks and his reiteration on Thursday.

Dhankhar said, "If we as members of this House express in the manner we are doing, irrespective of gravity or enormity of the situation, then we are not contributing to evolution of peace in society and we will have to introspect and reflect that in this House, on such sensitive issues, if we do not send a message of peace, tranquillity, then we will be failing in our duty."

The conduct of MPs should in all situations be decorous, he said.

In the same vein, he said the "dignity of a member of the House, his security, and his prestige is equally important".

"There is always an occasion when we are carried away by emotion, we must rectify," he said.

"But I wish to make it very clear, the sentiments of the people are very precious".

He said on Thursday certain remarks made on the issue were expunged as they were "outrageous" and "unexpected" of a member of the House.

On Thursday, Suman and his party colleague Javed Ali Khan had given notice under Rule 267, seeking suspension of the business of the day to take up a discussion over the alleged threat and vandalism at the Agra residence of Suman.

The notices were rejected, following which opposition MPs had staged a walkout.

Dhankhar said even though the remarks were expunged from the records, they had already got traction on social media because of how technology works in beaming events live.

"Rana Sanga was such a venerable figure... he lost his one hand, his one leg, he lost half of his body fighting valiantly. A symbol of chivalry, symbol of patriotism, symbol of nationalism and to the last drop in his body, he fought," he said.

"I would urge everyone, we have heroes all over. We have Shivaji, we have Rana Sanga, we have Maharana Pratap, a number of them and in every community. We have Birsa Munda," he said.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said Suman's statement was highly condemnable and an insult to the country.

Speaking after him, Kharge said he fully endorses the sentiments expressed by the chair and that he and his party respects each and every patriot who fought for the country.

But, no one can take law and order in their own hands and vandalise property.

Such "anti-Dalit actions will not be tolerated," he asserted.

His party colleague, Pramod Tiwari said Rana Sanga was a brave hero. "We respect him. He is a national hero. I bow to his valour and bravery."

BJP's Radha Mohan Das Agrawal noted that Suman remains unapologetic and attacked Kharge for injecting Dalit politics in the issue.

"They (Congress) are used to living with traitors," he said.

Kharge responded saying, "We respect Rana Sanga, Maharana Pratap and all those who laid down their lives for the country. Where is any disagreement or objection on this."

But, one cannot send bulldozers or threaten to harm family, he said.

"The Constitution does not give permission for this," he said, adding, "If there was any disagreement over history, the two sides should sit together and sort out the issue".

Rijiju said no one is justifying violence but to say that Suman's house was attacked because he was Dalit is condemnable.

"You are in a way endorsing what he has said," he said, demanding an unqualified apology.

Kharge said he had only raised the issue of security of an MP.

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said Suman's statement was ab initio condemnable and his repeating it again is doubly condemnable.

"Equally condemnable is the Leader of Opposition's attempt to give a caste twist to the issue," he said, adding the "false narrative" being spun by Kharge was "equally condemnable."

The House and the country has to send out a message that statements like these are condemnable and that no one will tolerate any insult to national heroes.

Dhankhar termed as a "serious development" Suman standing by his statement. Highly objectionable observations have been reiterated, he said.

"I would want this House to unanimously endorse that as members of this House we will maintain the highest rectitude when it comes to sensitive issues," he said.

On remarks being circulated even if they are expunged due to technology, he said the Committee of Ethics, headed by Ghanshyam Tiwari, will engage into wider consultations to evolve a code of conduct for MPs when speaking on sensitive issues.

"I am sure both situations have their separate merits. One, what was spoken in the House, I do not wish to repeat. But no one in the House will endorse it. Words were chosen that were avoidable. Aspersions were cast, that should not have happened. Historical perspective was absolutely in oblivion for making reflections about one of the greatest fighters and sons of Bharat. I would, therefore, urge everyone that the Hon'ble Member, after having made the observations, has accepted the expunction.

"From this House, let us send a call that all those who are agitated outside and their number I can share with members is very extensive, not limited to one state... And therefore, let us calm down the atmosphere. Let us make it a little more in harmony with our values. And similarly, what was reflected by Kharge ji, we have to take care of the security of the person concerned also," he added.