NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha was adjourned thrice during the Question Hour, as opposition benches demanded an apology from Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu for his remarks against them a day before. The house started function only after Naidu said he he did not intend to hurt their sentiments.
As the Lok Sabha started for the day, Naidu rose up to say that he respected all parties and leaders and he had not used any unparliamentary language while intervening in the Motion of Thanks for the President's Address.
However, Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said the opposition has no intention to disrupt the proceedings. "He (Naidu) is a senior leader and the Parliamentary Affairs Minister. It is his duty to take everyone along...he has no right (to use such words). It is a question of our honour. He must express regret. It should not become a practice. We will not tolerate," he said.
During his intervention on Wednesday, Naidu had taken a dig at Rahul Gandhi's leave to introspect, saying if the Congress should also introspect. And if it cannot do it here, it should "go somewhere far" to do it. Naidu also referred to CPI as consumer price index, which the opposition said was aimed at the Left party.
Despite, Naidu’s sou moto explanation, the opposition MPs rushed to the Well of the House. MPs belonging to Congress, TMC, Left, Samajwadi Party, AAP were seen protesting. The house was adjourned thrice before Naidu again made a statement.
“I had no intention to hurt anybody or defame anybody. I did not have any person in mind or party in mind. What I made was a general criticism of political nature. It should end here and we must move forward,” Naidu said in order to pacify the opposition benches. After Naidu’s explanation, Lok Sabha started functioning, and later Rail minister presented his budget.