Alleged force-feed incident causes uproar in Parliament

The alleged incident of Shiv Sena MPs force-feeding a Muslim catering worker at Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi triggered uproar in Houses of Parliament

The alleged incident of Shiv Sena members of Parliament (MPs) force-feeding a Muslim catering worker, observing Ramzan fast, at Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi, triggered uproar in both Houses of Parliament on Wednesday.

The Sena members were reportedly annoyed over the quality of food served to them. While the Sena, a partner in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, attempted to downplay the incident, the government termed the incident “unsubstantiated”. But Opposition MPs wrote a letter to the Speaker for an inquiry. Maharashtra goes to polls by year end.

While the issue had been first raised in the Question Hour, it was only taken up in the Zero Hour at noon. Congress’s M I Shanavas said the "shocking" incident "cut at the root of secularism. MPs who should be role models have become bad models. The faith of minorities has been tarnished. The House should condemn it."  

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu said it was “unsubstantiated.” He said, “We are dealing with a sensitive issue. Don't try to raise communal passions. Nobody knows the truth. Whether the incident has happened, we are not sure."

MPs from Opposition parties, including the Congress’s Mallikarjun Kharge; Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Tariq Anwar; Jaiprakash Narayan Yadav (Rashtriya Janata Dal); P Karunakaran (Communist Party of India (Marxist)); N K Premachandran (Revolutionary Socialist Party); E T Muhammad Basheer (Indian Union Muslim League); and Jose K Mani (Kerala Congress (M)) wrote in a letter to the Speaker: "The government was defending the act by being silent and ignoring our requests for discussing this issue. The reply by the Speaker is insufficient considering the severity of the issue and sentiments of the minority community being hurt.”

Sena MP Anant Geete caused further uproar when he said the Opposition MPs were lying. BJP member Ramesh Bidhuri caused outrage when he taunted the MPs and made objectionable gestures. He then apologised to the House. Congress, NCP, Left, People's Democratic Party and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen staged a walkout.

A Maharashtra government minister said, "In an election year, we cannot afford to allow such incidents to get a communal colour, and the chief minister has asked for the matter to be resolved at the earliest."