The government on Wednesday distanced itself from the controversial remarks of Union Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Anantkumar Hegde, even as the Opposition forced repeated adjournments in both Houses of Parliament, demanding his resignation.
In the Lok Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said the government had utmost respect for Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, architect of the Constitution, and said Mr. Hegde’s comments had been distorted by Opposition leaders.
Clarifying the government’s stand, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel said in the Rajya Sabha that it was committed to the Constitution and that the government did not subscribe to the Minister’s views.
Azad’s plea
Soon after the Rajya Sabha proceedings started, Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad sought a clarification from the Minister on his statement that the BJP had come to power to change the Constitution, in the context of secularism. “He has no right to be a Minister … he has no right to be a Member of Parliament,” he said.
On Sunday, at a public function in Karnataka, Mr. Hegde said: “The Constitution needs to be changed from time to time and we have come for that … those claiming to be secular and progressive do not have an identity of their parents and their blood. One will get self-respect through such identity.”
Trinamool leader Sukhendu Sekhar Roy sought a ruling from the Chairman on Mr. Hegde’s remarks that, he alleged, denigrated the Constitution.
Describing the Constitution as the Ramayana and the Gita of democracy, Naresh Agarwal of the Samajwadi Party accused the Minister of disrespecting Dr. Ambedkar, at which Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu intervened and asked the members not to bring Dr. Ambedkar into the debate. Demanding Mr. Hegde’s resignation, the Opposition members gathered into the Well of the House.
Congress had insulted Dr. Ambedkar: Athavale
Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale accused the Congress of having insulted Dr. Ambedkar, and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for honouring the late leader.
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said Dr. Ambedkar had not included the word “secularism” in the Constitution.
As the sloganeering continued, the House was adjourned till noon.
CPI leader D. Raja said that in the Constituent Assembly, Dr. Ambedkar had spoken in favour of secularism. “Dr. Ambedkar said, Sir, if at all India becomes a Hindu Rashtra, it would be a calamity for this country,” he said.
When the protests continued despite the government’s clarification, the House was again adjourned till 2 p.m.
Similar scenes were witnessed in Lok Sabha, where the proceedings were stalled several times. Leader of the Congress Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that Mr. Hegde’s comments amounted to calling secular people as those with unknown parentage.
Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan struck off Mr. Kharge’s exact word as it was unparliamentary.
