Congress led by Rahul Gandhi protests outside Parliament against union minister VK Singh over his 'dog' remark (Press Trust of India photo)
Rahul Gandhi today led a Congress protest outside Parliament to demand the removal of union minister VK Singh over his "dog" comments linked to Dalit killings.
The opposition has vowed to disrupt house if General Singh is not sacked over insulting the Dalit or underprivileged community
"The issue is about the behaviour of a central government minister against a particular community, in fact Indians per se," said Congress parliamentarian Jyotiraditya Scindia.
The
government has stood by the minister, arguing that as an elected member, he is entitled to sit in the Rajya Sabha.
"I don't understand why Rahul Gandhi suddenly wakes up. VK Singh has said nothing. It is not correct to traumatize a member in Parliament," union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy said.
On October 22, General Singh was asked to comment on the incident in which two Dalit children were burnt alive in Haryana - a BJP-ruled state. The minister's reported response - "If someone throws stones at some dogs, will the Prime Minister be held accountable?" - sparked outrage.
General Singh has clarified that his statement was "distorted" and he didn't intend to hurt any section of society. The Opposition, however, has not accepted his clarification.
The Rajya Sabha was repeatedly adjourned last week after the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Congress objected to General Singh's presence in the House.
The Opposition was also furious after the minister wrote about his Rajya Sabha experience in a
Facebook post. "We will move a notice of breach of parliamentary privilege against him for hurting the sentiments of the Upper House," said KC Tyagi of the Janata Dal (United).
The government wants to pass crucial legislation, including the Goods and Services Tax or GST bill, in this session.