New Delhi: Even as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stood by his remark on calling her a ‘terrorist’ BJP MP Pragya Thakur tendered Friday an apology in Lok Sabha but asserted her remarks have been twisted. The Bhopal MP said she had made the comments in a different context.
However, the opposition rejected her apology stating that it should be an unconditional apology which according to them she had not tendered.
Pragya Thakur created a controversy Wednesday with her remarks in the Lower House of Parliament during DMK member A Raja’s narration of a statement by Nathuram Godse before a court on why he killed Mahatma Gandhi.
“If my comments have hurt in anyway, I regret and seek apology. But, my comments in the House have been twisted and misrepresented,” Thakur said, without taking Godse’s name. Thakur also said that she respects and pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi for his contribution to the country.
The Bhopal MP also pointed out that she was dubbed as a terrorist by a sitting MP despite being acquitted by the court.
“One member has publicly termed me as a terrorist, though I have not been convicted by the court … it is an insult to a woman and a sadhvi. Making such remarks too was against the law,” Thakur pointed out.
Thakur remains an accused in the Malegaon blast case in which six people were killed and over 100 injured when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle went off near a mosque, September 29, 2008.
Unsatisfied with Thakur’s apology, the Congress strongly protested in the House and shouted slogans and demanded suspension of the BJP MP from the House.
Congress members stormed into the well of the House shouting slogans of ‘Godse party down down’ and ‘Mahatama Gandhi ki jai’.
Later, when the Speaker allowed Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury to speak, the Congress leader said Thakur’s remarks have not only hurt India, but the entire world as Mahatama Gandhi was not only a father of the nation but a global icon.
Chowdhury asserted that Thakur should tender an unconditional and unqualified apology in the House which the entire country deserves.
Earlier, as soon as the House met for the day, Chowdhury said opposition members had raised the issue of Thakur’s comments in the House, Wednesday. He said such remarks also hurt the dignity of the chair and as the custodian of the House, the Speaker should take action. Similar sentiments were echoed by other leaders of the opposition parties.
To end the impasses, SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav suggested that the Speaker call a meeting of floor leaders of all parties. Speaker Om Birla has now convened a meeting of leaders to end the stalemate.
BJD member Bhartruhari Mahtab said to end the confusion, the chair can go through video recordings of proceedings of the House.
Meanwhile Rahul Gandhi was not ready to budge from the stand he had taken against Thakur.
“Yes, I stand by my statement. What I have written on Twitter, I stand by it. Yes,” he told reporters when asked if he stood by his statement calling Thakur a ‘terrorist’.
Asked about BJP calling for action against him for his remarks, Rahul said, “That’s ok. There’s no problem. Whatever they want to do, I’ll welcome.”
The Congress leader said what Thakur says what she believes in. “I don’t agree with her, but she believes in it. Godse also used violence and she also believes in violence,” Rahul asserted.
Agencies
