The NDA would face problems in Rajya Sabha, where several parties have given separate notices for discussion on the issue of intolerance, with or without voting. Mr Salim refused to do so, but he and other Left MPs challenged the Home Minister to confront the writer of the article.
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Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Saugata Roy said, “It is true that notice should be given”.
Speaker Sumitra Mahajan told the member that she was keeping his remarks out of records till she examined them.
The minister said he was deeply hurt by the claim.
“In my parliamentary career, I am hurt for the first time”.
He said if Salim took back his comments, Parliament would start functioning smoothly.
Biju Janata Dal’s Bhartruhari Mahtab said a member has to give prior notice before levelling allegations against another member. I want to question the home minister.
MP Mohd Salim replied that if he is hurt from his words then why he should not take any legal action against him.
As the standoff continued, the Speaker adjourned the house for an hour.
Youth Congress also protesting outside the Parliament and Police station today in against of Intolerance in India. “This is ridiculous”, he said.
As the standoff persisted, Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai briefly adjourned the house. “Nobody is calling the country intolerant or insulting it. These allegations are manufactured”, said Salim.
Today in the Lok Sabha, however, a big fight is expected between the BJP government and opposition over “intolerance” issue.
Responding to Rajnath Singh, Salim said, “I was quoting from a magazine”.
“Nothing has gone wrong during Narendra Modi’s regime as PM, there is absolute tolerance in the country”, parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu said.
He referred to the Dadri lynching incident and said some ministers had made objectionable remarks.
Another BJP member Ganesh Singh also sought an apology from Salim. As against the 31 books banned by the Congress Government, the only book banned after this Government coming to power was on the orders of a Pune Court.
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“Both-the opposition and Rajnath Singh-have a particular type of politics to pursue”. “A lot of people are anxious about the atmosphere of alleged intolerance being created and those who are returning their awards are returning the rewards for political considerations”, the BJP member said.
