WAS ASKED ABOUT MY CASTE AT DWARKA TEMPLE: SELJA
NEW DELHI: Congress leader and former Union minister Kumari Selja on Monday became emotional in Rajya Sabha while participating in a debate on the Constitution, claiming she was asked about her caste when she had visited Dwarka temple in Gujarat. She said at the time she was a cabinet minister in the then UPA government.
“I am Dalit, but I am Hindu. I feel like visiting temples. I wanted to go to Dwarka temple. I have visited hundreds of temple. (I visited) Dwarka temple, I was cabinet minister. I was asked about my caste,” she said.
Selja’s remark created a furore in the Upper House with heated exchange between the treasury and opposition benches. While BJP MPs contested her claim, Congress MPs came to her support, saying she should be allowed to speak. “There is no reason why one should not believe what Selja is saying,” Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said.
Information technology minister Ravishankar Prasad said he had visited the temple many times but was never asked about his caste. Rajya Sabha deputy chairman PJ Kurien was seen pacifying Selja who said that MPs from the ruling party were questioning her “integrity” and “honesty” by contesting what she is saying. Kurien said if any member has questioned her integrity, he will take necessary action.
Leader of the House and finance minister Arun Jaitley asked Selja whether she had raised the issue with the then Gujarat CM (Narendra Modi) or Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh). Selja replied, “I choose not to answer.”