BJP trying to malign PM's daughter over hist book issue: CM

New Delhi, Mar 27 (UNI) Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party was trying to malign the daughter of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by raking up in the Legislative Assembly the issue of the History book prescribed in the syllabus of Delhi university.

Making a statement in the House in response to the demand made by BJP members in the House yesterday for withdrawal of the book 'Culture in India- Ancient' from the Delhi University history syllabus as according to them it contained derogatory references to Hindu God Ram and his wife Sita, the Chief Minister said the book was a compilation of writings by late A K Ramanujam.

''The book, which was prescribed in the DU syllabus since 2005, was incorporated in the slyllabus after due clearance from the highest authorities like the academic council. Moreover, contrary to what the BJP members have been claiming, the book is not meant to denigrate Lord Ram or any other God,''the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister further alleged that the documents being presented by the BJP in the media to claim that the Prime Minister's daughter Upender Singh was responsible for the alleged denigration of Hindu Gods were false.

''The said book has not been compiled by Dr Upender Singh. The BJP's claims in this regard is nothing but an attempt to malign the PM's daughter. It is also an attempt to malign the writer of the book, who was an eminent scholar, as well as the Delhi University professor community,'' Ms Dikshit said.

On the BJP allegation that those responsible for bringing out the book tender apologies for denigrating Hindu Gods and Hindu culture, Mr Dikshit said, ''The party raking up the issue, when the Assembly polls are just round the corner, is nothing but a political ply to garner more votes. Infact, it is always seen that whenever polls are near, the party rakes up a controversy or the other in the name of Lord Ram. It must clarify that those in the BJP are not the sole preservers of the sanctity of Hindu culture. We are as much Ram bhakts as they are.'' In this context, the Chief Minister alleged that the activists of the ABVP who had gone recently to the department of history in DU on the pretext of submitting a memorandum on the issue indulged in slogan shouting and even broke window panes there.

''This clearly shows that the BJP has a political motive in raking up the issue,''the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister's reply set off an uproar in the Opposition benches who were up on their seats to protest Chief Minister's statement.

Shouting slogans like 'Hindu Virodhi Hai hai' (shame on anti-Hindu people) and 'Ram Virodhi Sharam karo' (shame on all of you anti-Ram), the BJP members, led by leader of the Opposition Jagdish Mukhi, created pandemonium in the House and did not allow the work of the house to proceed despite repeated pleas by Speaker Prem Singh.

''The Chief Minister is indulging in a misinformation campaign by making a false statement,''Dr Mukhi said and reiterated that PM's daughter was among those responsible for what he described as an attempt to malign Hindu Gods.

In the din, BJP members also shouted slogans against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

When the pademonium persisted, BJP members were taken out of the House by the House marshals.

Later, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri of the Delhi NCP proposed a resolution condemning the statements made by BJP memebrs against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The resolution was accepted by the Speaker and passed by a voice vote.

Meanwhile, in protest against their removal from the House, BJP members sat on a dharna outside the office of the Chief Minister.

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