New Delhi, Dec 13 (IANS) Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his “rape in India” remark and sought the party’s apology on his behalf because he “doesn’t have sense”.
Joshi said the treasury benches in the Lok Sabha had raised the issue over Gandhi’s statement, but “neither Rahul Gandhi nor his party nor his group leader bothered to express regret, instead they defended the remark”.
“This is condemnable. What message do they want to send to the international community? His ‘rape in India’ remarks are highly derogatory at a time when Prime Minister is talking about Make in India”, Joshi said in a press briefing after both the Houses of Parliament were adjourned.
“I am quite sure and confident that Rahul Gandhi doesn’t have any sense. So, he will not react. Congress party has some sense, its president or some senior leader of the party should express regret.”
Joshi said that for the first time when the Speaker was trying to make his valedictory remark, he was disturbed. “It is unfortunate. And also the statement of Mr Rahul Gandhi ‘Rape in India’ is the insult of all women.”
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday adjourned the House sine die at the conclusion of the winter session amid commotion over Gandhi’s ‘rape in India’ remark.
Gandhi made the “rape in India” statement during a public rally in Jharkhand’s Godda district on Thursday when he attacked the Narendra Modi government over rise in crimes against women, saying: “the Prime Minister had launched ‘Make in India’ but, nowadays, it is rape in India.”
The Parliamentary Affairs Minister further said some of the leaders had to come to the Speaker’s chamber, saying the matter was raised outside the House.
Recalling Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjana Jyoti’s remarks outside Parliament during Delhi elections, the Minister said she had regretted and even Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his regret over the statement.
Jyoti had stoked controversy in December 2014 over her communal remarks and using an expletive in an election rally in the national capital, leaving the Bharatiya Janata Party and the government embarrassed as an angry opposition demanding that she should be sacked.
The remarks that voters of Delhi should choose between “Ram’s sons” and “illegitimate sons” drew the ire of opposition which protested in Parliament following which Jyoti expressed “deep regret” and apologised, saying she did not intend to hurt anyone’s feelings.
–IANS
rak/prs