BJP leader Tarun Vijay is a former member of the Rajya Sabha.
The Opposition today slammed BJP leader Tarun Vijay in Parliament for his purported racial remarks and demanded FIR against him even as the government deprecated the comment and said Mr Vijay has apologised.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh said in the Lok Sabha that India is a secular country and there would be no discrimination based on caste, creed, colour and religion. Mr Singh was responding after the Congress slammed the reported remarks by Mr Vijay, a former member of the Rajya Sabha, and forced two brief adjournments - once during the Question Hour and twice during the Zero Hour.
The party had given notice for adjournment motion to discuss the issue but it was rejected by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.
In the Rajya Sabha, the issue was subtly raised by CPI leader D Raja who called himself a "dark-skinned black South Indian".
Intervening immediately, Minister for IT and Law Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "Without naming the person, we fully deprecate that remark. He has already apologised."
In the Lok Sabha, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge attacked the BJP over the remarks and questioned what action would be taken against Mr Vijay.
"I want to know whether we are Indians or not?... Are we not citizens (of India)," Mr Kharge asked during Zero Hour.
"FIR should be lodged against him," the senior Congress leader said.
In his response, Rajnath Singh said, "The individual has already said that his remarks are indefensible".
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said that BJP is of the view that "we all are Indians. There is no difference on the basis of colour. We all are one. Congress should not create differences. We are all together."