Goyal regrets remarks on Selja over ‘caste’ row

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 3

The “Dwarka temple” controversy which hampered the functioning of the Upper House for two days finally ended with Power Minister Piyush Goyal offering “regret” to Congress MP Kumari Selja for his “manufactured discrimination” comment against her.

Notably, Goyal’s “regrets” failed to buy peace after Selja refused to accept it. The matter was finally resolved through a series of parleys between leaders of different parties with Chairman Hamid Ansari and Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien outside the House.

Subsequently, Leader of the House Arun Jaitley said on the floor since Selja had reiterated that she was not referring to the main Dwarka temple the issue raised by him “did not survive”. Notably, it was Jaitley who yesterday had re-initiated issue, countering Selja’ “discrimination remarks, citing “positive comments” made by her in the visitors’ book of the Dwarkadhesh Temple.

Selja, while participating in a debate on “Commitment to Constitution” debate on Monday, had alleged that she faced discrimination at the “Dwarka temple” when she visited there as a Union Minister. Goyal yesterday termed it "manufactured discrimination", leading to furore because of which the House remained paralysed for better part of the past two days. .

Goyal today said, "in view of the Chair's decision to review the records, I regret my remarks with respect to my colleague Kumari Selja."