Lok Sabha adjourned sine die, prorogued; Rajnath, Ir attack Rahul over 'rape in India' remark

The Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die on Friday amid uproar after vociferous demands by BJP members for an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks that 'Make in India' programme had turned into "Rape in India".

The House was later prorogued by President Ram Nath Kovind.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Gandhi was morally unfit to be an MP and Union Minister Smriti Ir said it has happened for the first time that leader of the Congress party makes a serious crime like rape a part of political mockery.

She said Congress leader was almost touching 50 and cannot be ignorant of implications of his remarks.

Rahul Gandhi was seen smiling.

The House saw two adjournments on the issue with the BJP members being on their feet soon after the House met for the day.

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal demanded an apology from the Congress leader for his remarks and noted that BJP leader Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti had apologised for her remarks outside House.

BJP member Locket Chatterjee said the remarks were an insult to the women of the country.

She said Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks of boosting manufacturing in the country and Gandhi was talking of rape in the country.

"He is saying, come rape us. Outsiders come and rape us. This is an insult of women, this is the insult of Bharat Mata. He does not get out of his house without security, what can he understand about rape. All know about Congress practice ...this is the insult of women. He should apologise. He does not understand who is Indian women, what he thinks of us. How did he dare," she said.

Chatterjee said Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had also made similar remarks.

Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Ir said it was for the first time in the history of the country that a leader of a party gives a clarion call that there should be the rape of women in the country.

"It has happened for the first time that the leader of Congress party makes a serious crime like rape part of political mockery. The scion of the Gandhi family says that come to India and rape. He says every man wants to rape a woman in India, is it a public call that women should be raped. Ask any Indian woman, if an appeal is made of rape, she can give a strong answer," she said.

The minister demanded that Gandhi should be punished. "Every man, brother, father is not a rapist. Those who commit the crime are dealt with strictly. This is the most heinous statement given by a political leader. He should be punished for using women as a political tool for mocking his political opponents," she said.

BJP leaders also made personalised attacks at Gandhi.

BJP MP Sanjay Jasiwal said that Chanakya had said 2,000 years back that a child born to a foreign mother cannot be a patriot.

"We are seeing that example, the way he has defamed the country, there cannot be enough condemnation," he said. The BJP members protested with slogans -- 'Rahul Gandhi Maafi Mango."

Congress members were also on their feet over their issues including the concerns in the northeast over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi asked DMK member Kmozhi and NCP member Supriya Sule about their views on Gandhi's remarks. Kmozhi said the remarks were made outside the House and Make in India was not happening and incidents of rapes were taking place.

Ir said that she was disgusted with Kmozhi's remarks and expected her to speak above party lines.

"That is the least as Parliamentarians and as citizens, we can do. I am extremely disheartened that even on issues of crime against women, you could not rise above party lines. I am disgusted, to say the least," she said.

She said Gandhi was almost touching 50 and cannot be ignorant not to realize that `rape in India' remarks will tantamount to an invitation about raping women in India.

The Speaker asked members to take their seats but the ruckus continued. He then adjourned the House till 12.

After the house met at 12 noon following its first adjournment, Rajnath Singh said that the entire country was hurt by Gandhi's remarks.

The BJP leader said that he cannot repeat the remarks of Congress leader. "I am hurt. The entire country is hurt. Should such people come to the House who make such statements? He should be called to express regret.

He should apologise," Singh said. "He does not have the moral right to continue as a member," he added. The Defence Minister said that party members in the past have apologised in the House for their comments made outside. Gandhi was present in the House when Singh made the remarks and appeared a little surprised at BJP protests.

Congress members were also on their feet like members from treasury benches.

Speaker Om Birla then adjourned the House till 12.15 pm and later adjourned it sine die. Congress members were protesting and raising slogans when the Speaker made his concluding remarks.

Gandhi had attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an election rally in Jharkhand and said, "Narendra Modi had said 'Make in India' but nowadays wherever you look, it is 'Rape in India'. In Uttar Pradesh Narendra Modi's MLA raped a woman, then she met with an accident but Narendra Modi did not utter a word." Later, the Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die.

Earlier, members paid tributes to security personnel who had laid down their lives during a terror attack on parliament on December 13, 2001, and observed silence.

( With inputs from ANI )