Sticking to their demand for resignation of Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, opposition parties on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should express regret over the controversial remarks made by the Union Minister.
The parties also demanded that an FIR should be lodged against the minister for her “uncultured” comments.
“The Prime Minister appeared in the House after a long time. He was sitting there, he could have got up and expressed regret on this issue and condemned it,” senior Congress leader Kamal Nath told reporters outside Parliament.
He maintained that the statement of the minister has “hurt” the sentiments of secular minded people.
“The statement by the BJP minister has not only hurt the sentiments of a particular community, but all secular minded people. The apology by the minister was a confession yesterday,” Mr. Nath, a former Union Minister, said.
Samajwadi Party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ram Gopal Yadav said there should be “nothing less than resignation” on the issue.
“I am amazed at the statement of the government that the comments by the minister were made outside the House, but the issues we discuss the house are related to people’s interest.
“Unless the Prime Minister assures us that he will take action against her, we will not stay quite,” Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ashwani Kumar said.
Lawyer and NCP’s Rajya Sabha MP Majeed Memon said an FIR should be lodged against the minister under section 153 (A) of the Indian Penal Code (for promoting enmity against people on the grounds of religion, case, race, residence and language).
“The offence is non-compoundable and non-bailable. Till the time the minister does not resign, we will not allow the House to function,” he said.
Ms. Jyoti had yesterday stoked a controversy by allegedly making communal remarks and using an expletive in an election rally here, leaving the BJP and the government embarrassed.
