New Delhi: The issue of controversial remarks made by Union Minister of State for Food Processing, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti continued to rock the Parliament on Friday. Here are the live updates:
3:20 pm: Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien adjourns Rajya Sabha for the day.
3:15 pm: Leaders of opposition parties and government should sit together and work out a solution by Monday: Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien on Sadhvi remarks row
2:40 pm: Rajya Sabha adjourned for 15 minutes after uproar over Sadhvi issue.
2:30 pm: Rajya Sabha proceedings resume.
1:55 pm: Nine opposition parties issue joint statement seeking a resolution in Parliament to condemn remarks of Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti.
1:15 pm: Congress leader Randeep Surjewala says Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti's words are a part of a divisive pattern, she should be sacked.
12:40 pm: Speaking on the Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti's remarks row, BSP supremo says BJP playing the "dalit card" is not right, if anyone goes against Constitution action needs to be taken against them. Earlier, the BJP leaders were seen protesting against the opposition for disrupting Upper House proceedings and saying that Sadhvi was being targeted because of her caste.
12:35 pm: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu criticises the Opposition for repeatedly disrupting Rajya Sabha proceedings. Naidu says the opposition always say that PM Narendra Modi doesn't attend Parliament, but when he does they walk out.
The BJP minister asked the Congress to explain why it never took action against their leaders when they made vulgar statements in the past.
12:30 pm: Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2.30 pm amid continuing uproar over Sadhvi issue.
12:10 pm: Rajya Sabha has been adjourned for 15 minutes.
12:08 pm: CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury is seeking permission from Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari to table a resolution to condemn minister Niranjan Jyoti's remarks. The Chairman as well as Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad say the resolution can't be straightaway tabled without being examined, and want Question Hour to continue.
11:30 am: BJP MPs sing 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' in front of Mahatma Gandhi's statue inside parliament complex, pray to God to grant wisdom to the Opposition.
11:10 am: Rajya Sabha has meanwhile been adjourned till noon after uproar over Niranjan Jyoti's controversial remarks.
11:07 am: Congress' leader in Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge says, “We are not against any individual”.
11:05 am: The House should allow the matter to rest now. We should move ahead with our work of taking the nation ahead - PM Modi in Lok Sabha
11:04 am: No member should cross limits of decency, whether inside or outside Parliament – PM Modi
11:03 am: The minister has apologised. She is a new member and is from a rural background, we all know this. Senior members should be generous enough to forgive a new member who has apologised – PM Modi
11:02 am: I am grateful to leaders in Lok Sabha for allowing House to function amid the controversy – PM Modi
11:02 am: I had expressed annoyance over minister's remarks even before the issue was raised in Parliament, at the BJP parliamentary board meet, says PM Narendra Modi in Lok Sabha, adding nobody can approve of such remarks.
11:01 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making a statement in Lok Sabha on the Niranjan Jyoti issue.
11:00 am: Rahul Gandhi is sitting in Lok Sabha with black cloth tied around his mouth.
10:54 am: It is the mindset of the top leaders of the country to not allow democratic conversation in the House - Rahul
10:52 am: The Opposition is not being allowed to say what it wants to say. We we are trying to say is being blocked and suppressed - Rahul
10:51 am: The attitude is to not let people’s expression be heard in the House - Rahul
10:50 am: Rahul Gandhi attacks Narendra Modi government, says it's attitude is not to allow democratic process in the House.
10:45 am: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and other opposition MPs protest against Union minister Niranjan Jyoti's controversial remarks outside Parliament by tying black cloth around their mouth.
9:50 am: The Union Cabinet is meeting at the Parliament complex.
9:40 am: Top BJP MPs are meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to decide floor strategy in Parliament in the wake of Opposition onslaught over Niranjan Jyoti's remarks.
9:30 am: The Opposition is expected to corner the government in Parliament today as well, over the issue of Niranjan Jyoti's controversial remarks made during a rally in Delhi earlier this week.
While opposition parties have been demanding the minister's resignation, they are reported to have made an offer to allow the Parliament to function if Rajya Sabha adopts a unanimous resolution condemning the minister's remarks.
The resolution, likely to be moved by the Trinamool Congress, has been backed by other opposition parties.
The Opposition has been stalling proceedings in the Rajya Sabha for the past three days demanding the minister's sacking. But, the government has refused to agree to the demand.
Giving in to Opposition demands to speak on the row, Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday said he "strongly disapproved" of her remarks and urged the Opposition not to disrupt the Rajya Sabha.
Breaking his silence, Modi spoke in the Rajya Sabha on the issue and said, "Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti has apologised. The House should gracefully accept that and carry forward its business in national interest."
"When I got to know about the statement, there was a meeting of my party. Very strongly, I disapproved of the language and said even in the heat of elections we should avoid such comment... even before the issue was raised in the house, I took it up," he said, adding, "The minister, who is new, has come to the House for the first time. We know her background, she apologised. And this is also a lesson for all of us here that we do not violate the dos and don'ts, and I once again urge the House to keep the nation in mind and carry on with our work," he said.
The PM may speak in the Lok Sabha as well later today.
Jyoti reportedly said at a public meeting here: "Aapko tay karna hai ki Dilli mein sarkar Ramzadon ki banegi ya ha***zadon ki." (You have to decide if you want a government in Delhi to be led by the children of Lord Ram or illegitimate children).
