Rediff / Agencies
New Delhi, Dec 18: Union Minister A R Antulay was in the eye of a storm in Parliament on Thursday with the Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena members demanding his sacking in the wake of his statement on the killing of Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare.
"By his irresponsible statement, Antulay has created a problem for the country," BJP member Santosh Gangwar said in the Lok Sabha raising the issue amid cries of 'shame, shame' from the opposition members.
The controversy had its echo in the Rajya Sabha too with a BJP member objecting to the 'irresponsible' remarks. He was supported by Janata Dal-United, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and some opposition members.
Despite Speaker Somnath Chatterjee seeking to pacify members in Lok Sabha saying that the minister had issued denial and had made it clear that Karkare was killed by terrorists, BJP-Shiv Sena members were in no mood to relent.
BJP member Yogi Adityanath even made some objectionable remark against the Minister, who was sitting in the House, but it was immediately expunged by the Speaker amid protests from some Congress members.
"You cannot abuse an MP like this," he said, strongly condemning the BJP member's remark.
With the opposition members demanding a statement from the prime minister on the Antulay issue, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi said: "Government will examine the statement and respond accordingly."
Antulay had on Wednesday raised doubts over the killing of Karkare by Pakistani terrorists, suggesting a link with the Malegaon blast that was being investigated by him.