PTI
NEW DELHI, MARCH 3
Rejecting Opposition demand for sacking of Union Minister Ram Shankar Katheria and slapping of sedition charge against him for an alleged hate speech in Agra, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said he did not say anything “objectionable” and media reports on the event appeared to be “distorted and incorrect”.
Observing that the Agra police was seized of the matter and law and order was a state subject, he said it is expected that Uttar Pradesh government will conduct the investigation of the case in a “fair and impartial manner” and take necessary action.
“The Government is opposed to all statements and speeches which divide the country on the basis of religion, caste and creed. This Government is fully committed to the Constitution and the law of the land,” Mr. Singh said in Rajya Sabha while replying a calling attention on this issue.
He said the government had examined the video recording of the February 28 condolence meeting of slain VHP leader Arun Mathur, where Minister of State for Human Resource Development Ram Shankar Katheria had participated.
“We gave the CD to our officers. They informed that there was no objectionable utterances by the Minister. He had not said anything against or used derogatory language against any community.
“No objectionable contents against any particular community have been noticed in the speech. Accordingly, the news reports appear to be distorted and incorrect,” Mr. Singh said, adding that since Mr. Katheria had not made inflammatory statements, the Police did not file an FIR against him. The Home Minister said Mr. Katheria, while offering condolences to the family of Mathur, had insisted on strict action against those responsible for his murder and sought justice and adequate compensation by the State administration.
Asserting that nobody stands to gain by violence, he said such incidents should not be given “political colour”. “We should be working for protecting unity and integrity of the country. ... We should all strive to maintain a conducive atmosphere among the different communities.”
The Minister said India was the only secular country in the world and urged all members to work together to “make it a beautiful nation”.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the Home Minister’s statement on the issue, Javed Ali Khan of Samajwadi Party said “the Government and the party is moving in different directions. There would have been better coordination had the Home Minister been the Prime Minister of the country.”
“I have seen Rajnath Singh as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. The Home Minister is now reading a statement prepared by others,” he said in a tongue-and-cheek remark.
Blaming the Government for making things complicated, Sharad Yadav (JD-U) said, “Various things have been said from both sides. I want to say to you, Home Minister, this will not go on for long.”
He said inflammatory speeches were being made daily, making the Government a “laughing stock”.
Attacking the government for not respecting the secular provisions of the Constitution, Mayawati (BSP) said ever since the BJP-led government has come to power, BJP and RSS leaders and even Ministers holding constitutional posts were making “irresponsible” statements giving communal colour.
“Katheria made an inflammatory speech which created hatred in UP. That Minister should have been sacked. Why no action has been taken against him?” she asked.
Opposition members, including Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, gunned for Katheria and other RSS—BJP leaders for making inflammatory speeches and sought registration of sedition cases against them.
CPI leader D.Raja joined Azad in slamming the government saying he does not know the ‘Mother India’ that the government always talks about. “The Mother India that I follow loves Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and everybody.”
