Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s unqualified apology for the remarks of her party’s Uttar Pradesh unit, Rita Bahuguna Joshi, on rape of women and compensation to them, failed to douse the fire on the issue that affected all political parties today.
Joshi was booked under sections 153 A (delivering inflammatory speeches) and 109 (using abusive language) of the penal code, besides provisions of the strict SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for making remarks allegedly defamatory to state Chief Minister Mayawati. She was arrested, denied bail and remanded to 14 days judicial custody in Ghaziabad while on way to Delhi.
Her remarks had been sharply critical of the Mayawati government’s attitude on the issue, mentioned specific cases and went on to make personal remarks. The issue brought both Houses of Parliament to a standstill. The Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day in uproar and the Lok Sabha witnessed repeated adjournments, with agitated members of Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party storming the well.
At first, the Congress leadership led by the general secretary in charge of UP, Digvijay Singh, and party spokesmen Manish Tewari, focused on last night’s arson at Joshi’s house in Lucknow (the UP police has arrested four people for the house burning).
"Congress will fight the way in which the Mayawati government is using law to suppress its political opponents," Singh said.
Singh, however, added as news of Sonia Gandhi’s apology came, "the comments (of Joshi) were uncalled for but the context should be considered in which they have been said. She herself has apologised". And wondered, "which law permits Joshi's house to be set ablaze”.
"We will fight the battle legally as far the case registered against her is concerned," Singh said. Other party members were more critical. "Women are the worst enemy of women," Mumbai MP Priya Dutt said on Joshi's statement, adding, “At the same time, what followed after her apology is also condemnable."
It was trouble from the word go, with the Lok Sabha witnessing uproar after Congress members sought to raise the matter and were countered by BSP members. The latter were supported by those belonging to other parties, including their staunch rivals in the Samajwadi Party and BJP, and the Left. Similar scenes were witnessed in the Rajya Sabha, where SP and BSP members condemned Joshi.
Rajasthan Congress MP Prabha Thakur said, "We in Congress do not support her (Joshi) statement. But after her apology Mayawati's party workers should not have done what they did."
Terming Joshi’s comments slanderous, ally DMK’s MP Kanimozhi said, "I do not approve of any violence in politics and women should avoid such slanderous things."
"Congress party sharm karo (shame on Congress party)", "Daliton ka apman band karo, Mahilaon ka apman band karo (stop insulting dalits and women)," repeatedly shouted BSP members in both the Houses.
It was trouble from the word go, with the Lok Sabha witnessing uproar after Jagdambika Pal (Congress) and some of his party colleagues sought to raise the matter and were countered by BSP members. The latter were supported by those belonging to other parties, including their staunch rivals in the Samajwadi Party and BJP, and the Left.
Similar scenes were witnessed in the Rajya Sabha, where SP and BSP members condemned Joshi over what they described as her "anti-woman" remarks. However, Congress members in the House did not react. Agitated BSP and SP members were on their feet in the Upper House, seeking suspension of the Question Hour despite Chairman Hamid Ansari's repeated calls to allow the proceedings to continue. Both Houses ended without transacting any business.
