File Photo: VHP leader Sadhvi Prachi.
Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Sadhvi Prachi has triggered a controversy after saying that there are "one or two terrorists" in Parliament in remarks that appeared to be targeting lawmakers who opposed the execution of 1993 blasts convict Yakub Memon.
When asked about the opposition from some quarters to the hanging of Memon, Ms Prachi on Thursday said, "It is a big misfortune that in the Indian Parliament, we have one-two terrorists sitting there. I do not think there can be a bigger misfortune for India than this as they who are disobeying the judgement of a court, because the court has proved that he (Yakub) is a terrorist. When the court has already proved so, those supporting the terrorist are terrorists themselves I believe."
Shortly after Memon's execution at a jail in Nagpur on July 30, Congress parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor had said that he was saddened by the hanging of the lone death row convict in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case and said that the "state-sponsored killing diminishes us all by reducing us to murderers too." Mr Tharoor also argued against the death penalty.
"Yakub Memon hanged. Exemplary urgency and commitment has been shown by government and Judiciary in punishing an accused of terror," said his party colleague Digvijaya Singh.
The Congress slammed the VHP leader for her remarks against parliamentarians and demanded action against the leader.
"The Parliament belongs to all of us. The Constitution has said that Parliament is the temple of democracy. And if someone calls those sitting inside it as terrorists, then it is not just an insult to the Parliament but also the Constitution. I think it is the right time that Speaker Sumitra Mahajan takes action," Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said.
Ms Sadhvi also said that she wanted the Pakistani terrorist, Naved - captured on Wednesday in Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir - to be handed over to Hindu organisations after questioning.
"It is my humble request to the Centre that after the security agencies are through with their necessary investigations, the arrested Pakistani terrorist should be handed over to Hindu outfits which alone can teach him a good lesson," she added.