BJP leader CP Joshi ‘glorified sati’, alleges Opposition, ruckus in parliament

CP Joshi asserted that he had not made any reference to the practice of sati, but mentioned that Padmavati had performed 'jauhar' to protect her honour.

New Delhi, Feb 07: A huge ruckus was witnessed in Parliament on Tuesday as Opposition leaders accused BJP leader CP Joshi of glorifying the practice of 'sati' (an age-old practice of mass self-immolation). Following protests by the Opposition members, the Speaker adjourned the House.

Joshi, a BJP member from Chittorgarh in Rajasthan, had initiated the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address when he made reference to Padmavati, the Queen of Mewar who self-immolated to protect her honour from invader Allaudin Khilji.

Opposition members Supriya Sule (NCP), Kanimozhi, Dayanidhi Maran, A Raja (DMK), K Muraleedharan (Congress), Imtiaz Jaleel (AIMIM) were on their feet claiming that Joshi had glorified the practice of 'sati'.

Joshi asserted that he had not made any reference to the practice of sati', but mentioned that Padmavati had performed 'jauhar' (self-immolation) to protect her honour.

"I stand by my words," Joshi said, as opposition members raised slogans in the Well of the House.

As protests continued, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla adjourned the proceedings for 20 minutes.

Sati, refers to a traditional Hindu funeral practice in which a widow would immolate herself on her husband's funeral pyre. It was considered a voluntary act of devotion and sacrifice by the widow.

Sati was widely condemned by many Hindu reform movements and was banned by the British in India in 1829. Today, the practice is illegal in India was seen as a symbol of the oppression of women in traditional Hindu society.