Controversial remarks by Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti today rocked Parliament with Rajya Sabha being paralysed for the day as a united opposition insisted on her sacking despite her apology.
"A mere apology will not suffice. She will have to resign," was the refrain of the Opposition members who stormed into the Well demanding her sacking.
Soon after both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha met for the day, opposition members created uproar over Jyoti allegedly making communal remarks and using an expletive in an election rally here and demanded that she should be sacked. They also sought an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Members of Congress, TMC, SP and other opposition parties rushed to the Well leading to repeated adjournments in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha during pre-lunch sitting.
When Rajya Sabha reassembled at 2 PM after four adjournments, CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury cited a Supreme Court as well as a Calcutta High Court order to drive home the point that mere apology was not enough and an FIR should be filed against her and she should be sacked.
Yechury's argument got instant support from TMC, Congress, SP, JD-U and Left parties.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi sought to calm down the Opposition by contending that Jyoti has already apologised and the matter should be put to rest in keeping with tradition.
But the Opposition remained adamant as Deputy Chairman P J Kurien expressed his inability saying the remarks were made outside the House.
With repeated pleas of Kurien to bring order in the House going unheeded, he adjourned the House for 10 minutes -- the fifth adjournment since morning.
As the tempers ran high when it reassembled, he adjourned it for the day.
Congress had given adjournment notices in both Houses on the issue, but they were rejected.
