Remark of BJP MP on Gandhi disrupts UP Assembly proceedings

Lucknow, Mar 11 (UNI) Samajwadi Party and Congress members in Uttar Pradesh Assembly today joined hands in protest against the reported remark of a BJP MP that Lord Ram and Krishna should be called 'father of nation' instead of Mahatma Gandhi.

The members from both the parties reacted vehemently over the remark and created furore in the House demanding the statement should be withdrawn as it was against the national propreity.

Congress members even squatted on the floor in the well of the House chanting 'raghupati raghav raja ram' soon to be joined by SP members.

The senior BJP member Hukum Singh, however, tried to make it clear that the reported statement of Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Gorakhpur Mahant Yogi Aditya Nath was his personal views and it had nothing to do with the party per se but the din continued till the Speaker Sukhdev Rajbhar had to adjourn the House for about half an hour.

The issue was raised in the Zero Hour by Congress Legislator Party leader Pramod Tiwari who took strong exception to the statement of the BJP MP that the 'father of nation' tag should be attached to Lord Ram or Krishna. He said it was against the popular national sentiments as well as against the constitutional norms.

''Such type of divisive comments should be condemned,'' he said.

Mr Hukum Singh, without naming anyone, asked what about those who were roaming around using Gandhi surname for nothing.

It infuriataed the Congress members further who stormed into the well of the House disrupting the proceedings.

UNI MB/SB KK RK1420