Congress MP breaks down in Lok Sabha over Gujarat police action

New Delhi, May 2 (IANS) A Congress MP from Gujarat, Prabha Kishor Taviad, broke down in the Lok Sabha Wednesday as her colleague Girija Vyas recounted how she was allegedly punched and dragged by the hair by Gujarat Police to prevent her from reaching the venue of a function being presided over by state Chief Minister Narendra Modi. MPs condemned the incident and demanded justice for Kishor.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sushma Swaraj said she will speak to Modi about the incident and apprise the house of the facts.

Narrating the incident during zero hour, Vyas said Kishor, Congress MP from Dahod, showed her pass to police and told them about her intention to go to the Gujarat Day function.

"Without seeing her pass, her hair was pulled... there are injury marks all over her body," Vyas said and accused the police of misbehaviour.

"She (Kishor) repeatedly told them that she is going there (to the function) to give her congratulations," Vyas said.

She alleged that Kishor was dragged for 200-300 m in the manner "thieves and dacoits" are taken away.

Referring to the presence of woman leaders in the house, including Speaker Meira Kumar, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Sushma Swaraj, Vyas said Kishor should get justice.

Vyas slammed the Modi government saying it had showed an attitude witnessed during the Gujarat riots of 2002 when "a woman's stomach was cut open to take out the child".

Sushma Swaraj, who is Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said the incident narrated by Vyas was "serious".

The BJP leader said she will talk to the chief minister and find out "why it happened, how it happened".

She said Gujarat was a BJP-ruled state and she will tell the members about the developments after talking to the chief minister.

Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad attacked Modi over the incident and said it exposed the real face of the state government.

CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said the matter was of concern to the entire parliament. "(It is) violation of fundamental rights. The central government must ask the government of Gujarat to explain," he said.

Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Basudeb Acharia termed the incident "a very serious matter".

Samajwadi Party MP Rewati Raman Singh said the matter pertained to the dignity of the house and called for stern action against the guilty.