News Desk: The Dalit MPs disrupted the proceedings of the Parliament in both the houses on Friday over the controversial cartoon picture of BR Ambedkar in an NCERT textbook.


Some members said that the cartoon on the maker of the Constitution is insulting and it should be withdrawn. The Dalit members protested in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha following which both the Houses were adjourned repeatedly.


However, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal apologised for the cartoon picture of BR Ambedkar in an NCERT textbook. He said, "The text book that contains this cartoon will not be distributed further. We have great respect for Baba Saheb Ambedkar. There cannot be any attempt to malign his image."


"This is not a political issue. I personally apologise to the people on the matter though I was not involved and not the minister in 2006 when the cartoon came in the books. We have no intention to hurt the sentiments of any community", he added.


The issue of cartoon was raised by Thol Thirumavalavan of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal. As soon as the session begins today the Opposition members rushed to the Well of the House in Lok Sabha, holding posters of the 63-year-old cartoon.


Responding to the matter, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that the printing of the cartoon in the textbook was "totally wrong" and that he "entirely" agreed with the sentiments of all sections of the house.


Mukherjee also promised that he would ask Sibal to make a statement on the issue. Sibal told the House "all such offensive content" will be removed from NCERT textbooks next year.


The cartoon in the NCERT textbook had also triggered protests in Tamil Nadu on Thursday. The cartoon was sketched by renowned cartoonist Shankar in 1949. It depicts Nehru, with a whip in his hand, chasing Ambedkar, who is seated on a snail. In the cartoon, Nehru is asking Ambedkar to speed up the work on the constitution.

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