Smriti Irani’s Lok Sabha comments shrouded in controversy
Opposition demands Irani’s apology
The Opposition in Rajya Sabha today demanded HRD Minister Smriti Irani’s apology for reading out “objectionable” comments against Goddess Durga but she defended her action saying she did it because she was asked for proof to back her statements on JNU students.
She also made it clear that she “is a practising Hindu and a worshipper of Durga” while the chair ruled that nothing blasphemous would be allowed to remain in the records.
As the House met for the day, Deputy Leader of Congress in Rajya Sabha, Anand Sharma, raised a point of order saying the Constitution and rules do not permit anything to be spoken in the House which is blasphemous and can hurt religious sentiments.
Irani, he said, had yesterday read out “insulting” comments made against Goddess Durga “verbatim” in the House hurting sentiments and sought a ruling from the Chair whether such comments made outside Parliament against any religious figure prophet or a deity can be read in the House.
‘Smriti Irani Lied In Parliament,’ Says Rohith Vemula’s Family
Rohith Vemula’s family and friends today attacked Union Education Minister Smriti Irani, calling her speech in Parliament on the research scholar’s suicide a set of “absolute lies”.
“Smriti Irani, this is not a serial, this is real life. Bring out the facts, don’t fabricate them,” said Rohith’s mother Radhika Vemula in Delhi, flanked by her other son and Rohith’s friends.
Rohith, 26, hung himself at the Hyderabad Central University on January 17, days after he was banned from the hostel and other common areas on the campus for allegedly attacking an activist of the BJP-linked ABVP.
