Smriti Irani reads out Rohith Vemula's Facebook post in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: After a full-blown speech on Wednesday in the Lok Sabha, a comparatively mellowed-down Smriti Irani on Thursday defended the government in Rajya Sabha over actions with regard to JNU issue and suicide of Dalit student Rohith Vemulla in Hyderabad University.

Quoting from an old post by Rohith Vemulla on his Facebook wall, Smriti attacked Sitaram Yechury saying the student had raised questions on why no Dalit leader was included in the CPM Politburo in 51 years. "When he was delivering a talk in HCU, he told that 'If his party finds eligible Dalit leaders, they would be sure taken into CPI(M) politburo', when questions were raised at the absence of Dalits in it for 51 years now, "she read out from Rohith's post that he had written on November 28, 2015

Taking on the opposition in the face of intense attack by the opposition which alleged that attempts were being made to suppress dissent, the Human Resource Development minister, said she is called the "anpadh mantri" (illiterate minister). "I do not claim I am as erudite a speaker as (CPI-M general secretary Sitaram) Mr. Yechury. But since people blame me for having a flair for drama, let me quote from 'Macbeth' and say "fair is foul and foul is fair" that is how 'Macbeth' began indicating that nothing is as it seems," she said starting her reply to the short duration discussion.

Her reply to a short duration discussion, however, was cut short as the House was abruptly adjourned after uproar over her certain comments which she made while alleging that some elements in JNU had published derogatory pamphlets about Goddess Durga.

As she narrated the descriptive details of the pamphlets, Anand Sharma of Congress took objection, saying it could set a precedent and in future somebody else could repeat it with regard to Gods of other religions.

"What is happening here? This is too much. It's a dangerous precedent. Every religious leader and deity has been derogatorily referred by some persons. Will all this be discussed here? Can we allow it here. Then there will be a war in the House," Sharma said.

Irani insisted with her reference, saying it was imperative to counter the charge levelled against her.