Controversy over Sadhvi's caste, Opposition says she is not a Dalit

New Delhi: Amidst the hullabaloo over the abusive remarks of Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries, a controversy has also arisen now over her caste and her background. While the BJP leaders maintained that the Sadhvi was a Dalit, the Opposition contested that claim and said she came from the Other Backward Caste (OBC) category.

Modi made a statement in the Lok Sabha on Friday to appeal to the Opposition for allowing business to be held in the House. He said the Minister has apologised and the matter should be set to rest. Pointing towards the Minister's background, the PM asked the members to be magnanimous and accept her apology. He said she hails from a village, implying she had made the comments without due thought.

The PM said, "The Minister has apologized. She is new and we are also aware of her social background. She comes from a village...It is the duty of the distinguished members of the House that when a colleague seeks apology, we should be magnanimous."

The BJP leaders went a step ahead and said the Sadhvi was, in fact, a "poor Dalit". Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Vijay said, "They are not allowing us to raise any issue because they are arrogant. They are disrupting Parliament's affairs. They should have let all these democratic issues that concern the common people to be discussed but they are after the life of a poor Dalit woman who has apologised and who has taken back her words."

The Opposition hit back and contested the claims of the PM and Vijay. BSP supremo Mayawati said, "She is from the backward class not Dalit or Schedule Caste (SC). She is from Nishad community. If the PM says look at her background, she cannot hold a constitutional office and abuse it...Make someone else from that community a minister if the government wants to represent that community. Laying the blame on an entire community because of one person's remarks is not right."

Congress Rajya Sabha member Hanumanth Rao too slammed the BJP for highlighting the Sadhvi's background and caste. "I request the government to bring a Bill which pardons all the crime done by weaker sections. But till such an Act comes, we want her resignation. During the UPA time, we had removed a number of ministers. NDA too should remove her and let the House function," he said.

The Opposition even staged a walk out after the PM's statement. Nine opposition parties later issued a joint statement, blaming the government for the impasse. They, however, also indicated that they may allow the House to function on Monday.