Clashes in LS during 'Intolerance' debate

Home Minister Rajnath Singh

New Delhi: Lok Sabha yesterday witnessed clashes and repeated adjournments as it took up the debate on ‘intolerance' with the opposition targeting the government and triggering a storm after a CPI(M) member attributed ‘Hindu leader' comments made by Home Minister Rajnath Singh in a magazine.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh

The comments led to a deadlock with the ruling side demanding that he either withdraw these comments or apologise. The logjam, because of which the House was adjourned four times, was resolved in the evening after Speaker Sumitra Mahajan expunged the remarks related to the allegations.

Deeply hurt: Rajnath
Salim cited a news magazine, which had quoted Singh as having made a pro-Hindutva remark after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister, calling him the ‘Hindu leader'.

Demanding an outright apology from Salim, Singh vehemently denied his allegations and said he was never hurt so much in his Parliamentary career as he was today. "Mohd Salim levelled a serious allegation against me. He should say when and where I made such a statement or apologise.... A Home Minister who makes such a statement has no moral right to be the Home Minister. I speak after weighing every word... People know Rajnath Singh can never make such a statement," Singh said.

Quoting the magazine, Salim said Singh had made the remark at an internal meeting of RSS. When a few BJP members questioned whether he was present when such a reported comment was made, Salim said, "I don't have such misfortune to attend an RSS meeting."