BJP seeks apology from SP's Ramji Lal Suman, disrupts proceedings in RS

New Delhi: Ruling BJP MPs and ministers on Friday condemned Samajwadi Party leader Ramji Lal Suman's remarks against Rajput king Rana Sanga and disrupted proceedings in the Rajya Sabha over the demand for an unqualified apology.

BJP MPs were up on their feet no sooner had the House met for the day, shouting slogans. They forced a 30-minute adjournment of proceedings as they sought an apology from Suman and condemnation of his statement.

Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar called the Rajput king a national hero who fought valiantly, and called remarks against him as "highly disparaging and objectionable." Members should exercise caution and maintain dignity while speaking on sensitive issues, he said.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said Suman's statement was an insult and highly condemnable.

Leader of the Opposition and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said he and his party respect all patriots who fought and laid down their lives for the country.

But none have the right to take law and order in their hands and break into an MP's house and resort to vandalism, he said referring to the attacks on Suman's house and property post his controversial remarks.

Such "anti-Dalit actions will not be tolerated," he asserted.

Kharge's remarks infuriated the ruling benches.

Radha Mohan Das Agrawal of the BJP said Suman has reiterated that he would not take back his words and will stand by them for life. This, he said, was an insult and no one will tolerate it.

Rijiju said he condemned Kharge's remarks that Suman's house was attacked because he was a Dalit. This is not a caste or religious issue, he said.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal said Kharge was trying to give a caste twist and it was condemnable.

Kharge responded, saying all heros be it Rana Sanga or Maharana Pratap were highly respectable figures.

He said his objection was to the use of violence as the Constitution does not give permission for this.

At this point Suman rose to speak but BJP MPs started shouting slogans.

Dhankhar said only what Suman said would go on record but the slogan-shouting did not stop, forcing him to adjourn the proceedings till 12 noon.