BJP spars with AAP over no obituary reference for VHP leader Ashok Singhal

Later, Sharma told reporters outside the House, “Aatankwaad kewal AK-47 se nahi hota, vaicharik aatankwaad bhi hota hai… jo sadan mein Amanatullah ne dikhaya aaj. House mein kisi mahaan aatma ke liye upshabd kehna vaicharik aatankwaad hai… (Terrorism is not only by AK-47, there is ideological terrorism also… which Amanatullah showed in the House today. Using unparliamentary words in the House for a great soul is ideological terrorism).”

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He added, “I wanted to clarify my statement in the House, but the Speaker did not allow me.”

Khan, the MLA from Okhla, also told reporters outside the House that Singhal was behind orchestrating the demolition of Babri Masjid and was responsible for communal tension. “Such a man cannot be paid homage,” said Khan.

Earlier, in the House, BJP claimed disrespect had been shown to Singhal. Describing Singhal as a national leader and a great man, BJP MLA Vijender Gupta demanded obituary reference for him.

Speaker Goel, while calming the BJP MLAs, said Singhal could not get homage because he never held any constitutional post.

Gupta immediately replied, “There are so many great men whose photos adorn the walls of Assembly even when they never held any constitutional post. So, why are they paid homage? And Speaker sir, you yourself went to pay homage to him (Singhal). Then why protest on floor of the house?” The Speaker said he went in his “personal” capacity to pay homage to Singhal.

The House also witnessed a slanging match between AAP and BJP members after the latter compared Singhal to Mahatma Gandhi.

The house then debated the issue of intolerance and six AAP MLAs including tourism minister Kapil Mishra spoke on the issue. References were made to remarks over Shah Rukh Khan, V K Singh and Girish Karnad during the debate that went on for an hour, but there was no specific reference to Delhi.