New Delhi : “The current strife is uncharted territory. It has the imprimatur of the ‘first Hindu ruler in 800 years’ to quote the union home minister Rajnath Singh.” This paragraph buried in a long story about ‘The Mirror States” in the newsweekly Outlook triggered a veritable storm in the Lok Sabha right at the beginning of an unfinished debate on the growing intolerance in the country. There were a series of adjournments and calm could be restored only after the Speaker Sumitra Mahajan expunged these remarks. But the proceedings of the Lok Sabha are telecast live, and it was there for everyone to see. She had ruled: ‘‘After due consideration, I find that the statements by Shri Mohammad Salim have been made without giving advance notice. Therefore, the remarks of Shri Mohammad Salim shall not form part of the proceedings. “
Initiating the intolerance debate, CPM member Mohammad Salim raised the question with the classical skill of a seasoned debater. “How did fringe elements get the courage? I want to question the home minister. When Modi came to power, he said “800 saal baad koi Hindu phir se is desh ka shaasak bana hai (After 800 years, this country has a Hindu ruler once again.) Is this democracy? Is this secularism? Is it part of the Constitution?” This comment led to an immediate denial from Rajnath Singh who was listening with his earphones on. Saying that he has never been hurt this much, Singh demanded an apology and added: “Mohammad Salim is a very old friend. But he has made a very serious allegation. Where have I said this and when? He should tell the entire house or he should apologise to the house.” It was then that Salim read out the para from the magazine story.
There was some procedural wrangling with the BJD leader Bhartruhari Mahtab citing the rule book to assert that the member (Salim) should have given prior notice if he wanted to level a personal allegation. He was also supported by the TMC member Saugata Roy. But the agitated BJP members would settle for nothing less than a withdrawal of the comment and an apology. Union parliamentary affairs minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy almost laid that down as a condition for further proceedings of the house. Meanwhile, Salim stuck to his guns. “You are in power, order a probe and investigate. As a reader (of the magazine) I have quoted what I said. I bought the magazine,” he said, adding that it was ‘ridiculous’ on the part of the government to ask him to withdraw his statement.
As the chorus against him grew louder from the treasury benches, he also made a dramatic statement: “So you will hang me, you will kill me,” and added that saying that the house would not be allowed to function till I take back my statement is also a form of intolerance. Indeed, when he resumed his speech after these remarks were expunged by the speaker Salim quoted from prime minister Narendra Modi’s speech in the Lok Sabha delivered on June 11, 2014, with a reference to 1200 years of slavery “that does not allow us to look into the eyes of someone who is higher to us in station” and then said that this comment ignores the fact all the freedom fighters from Bhagat Singh looked straight into the eyes of British and fought with heroism.
The debate on intolerance was expected to be over on Monday itself but due to the turmoil in the house a lot of members could not participate in it and now union home minister Rajnath Singh is expected to respond to it on Tuesday. The issue of the quote of the magazine would in all probability also figure tomorrow as the mere expunction of Salim’s remarks from the day’s proceedings would not put an end to this debate.
Outlook goofed
Late evening media reports said the Outlook magazine has regretted the embarrassment caused to Rajnath Singh & Md Salim in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The magazine has pointed out that instead of the late Ashok Singhal, the former international working president of the VHP, the article had attributed the quote to Rajnath Singh. Singhal breathed his last recently.
