SP wants minority votes, says BJP leader

Taking the issue of scuffle in Rajya Sabha back to the House, BJP leader SS Ahluwalia today said that Samajwadi Party has done it keeping in view the votes of the minority community.

"I was attacked by five SP MPs led by Amar Singh in the Rajya Sabha. Those present in the House including the Chair had seen it. So it is upto the House to decide on it," Ahluwalia told reporters here when asked whether he would forgive Amar Singh, since the latter had apologised.

"He has done it to get the votes of the minority community. In fact, he attacked an MP from a minority community to get the support of another minority community," Ahluwalia said. His party colleague Rajiv Pratap Rudy said that such an incident has never happened in the House before. Amar Singh will never be forgiven in the history of democracy.

Accusing Amar Singh of losing his mental balance, Orissa BJP MP Rudra Narayan Pani said after the severe defeat in UP byelections, Singh had lost his mental balance." Filmmaker-turned-MP Shyam Benegal described the scuffle incident as depressing.

"I have never seen such thing happened in the House. The Rajya Sabha is the House of Elders. So it is all the more depressing. So I am leaving it to the august body to decide on it," he said.