Debate in Rajya Sabha: Is the government ignoring Sita's birthplace?

The last day of the budget session of Parliament saw an animated discussion on Goddess Sita in the Upper House. The timing of the debate incidentally came on a day after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat gave a renewed call for construction of the Ram temple.

The debate unfolded during the Question Hour, minutes before Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine die.

MP Prabhat Jha sought information from the Centre on whether the government was planning to develop Sitamarhi, believed to be the birthplace of Goddess Sita.

Even as Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma began to reply to the question saying the place is part of the Ramayana circuit and will be developed in association with the state, Congress MP Digvijaya Singh said the party that came to the forefront with Ram Mandir is neglecting Sita.

Amidst jeering, the minister clarified that there was never any doubt on the existence of Sita but the question pertained to Geological Survey of India and whether any historical evidence was found.

JD(U) MP Anil Kumar Sahani said Sita's name comes before Ram to which Sitaram Yechury also light-heartedly joked that "though he was a communist" he was named Sitaram. Another MP demanded to know why Sita's 'agnipariksha' (test by fire) was taken.

This evoked a strong response from the House in between a few laughs.

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