Rajya Sabha once again witnessed a spat between senior Parliamentarian Sharad Yadav and Union Minister Smriti Irani during the debate on Commitment to the Constitution on Friday. The HRD Minister also entered into a spat in lok Sabha with leader of Congress Mallikarjun Kharge.
Talking about social disparities when Yadav pointed that in over six decades of Independence, the country is yet to see a tribal person rise to the post of Secretary, Irani stood up and tried to correct him. “They are secretaries of the country,” Irani said evoking sharp reaction from Yadav.
“Aap bahut hoshiyar hain, aap baith jaiye (you are very wise, please sit down),” Yadav told her.
When Irani again tried to interrupt Yadav, he shot back saying, “I understood your point but you can’t understand what I am saying.” A visibly infuriated Union Minister did not respond and controlled her temper till the time of debate. Irani pointed that even after sixty years of existence of the Constitution the law makers are treating women and a Parliamentarian like her shabbily.
In lok Sabha, Irani countered Congress leader of Mallikarjun Kharge saying his “theory of Aryan-Dravidian” was totally wrong. Citing Ambedkar’s article which says the theory was totally wrong, she continued to attack Kharge for floating false notions. Congress MPs’ attempts to counter her were vociferously thwarted by several BJP MPs.
Reading out the article of Ambedkar, the Education Minister argued that this false theory of Aryan-Dravidian was cooked up by certain forces which wanted to divide the people of India. Earlier, Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu also cornered Kharge on the matter. “I will send you books which clearly says that this Aryan-Dravidian divide was wrong. I know you love reading books,” said Naidu.
During the Budget Session too, the Irani and Yadav two had engaged in a war of words, when the veteran JD(U) member had stirred a controversy over the dusky look of South Indian women. Hitting out at Irani at that time, Yadav had said, “I know what you are.” His comments had shocked all the leaders including Irani. The situation resolved after the JD (U) leader withdrew his comment the next day.