NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha was on Thursday 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 could function only after Venkaiah said he he did not intend to hurt their sentiments.
As the Lok Sabha started for the day, the minister stood up to say that he respected all the 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 the Congress in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said the Opposition had no intention to disrupt the proceedings. “He (Venkaiah) 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, Venkaiah had taken a dig at Rahul Gandhi’s leave to introspect, saying the Congress should also introspect. And if it cannot do it here, it should “go somewhere far” to do it. He also referred to the CPI as consumer price index, which the Opposition said was aimed at the Left party.
No Going back on Ordinances: Venky
New Delhi: Even as the BJP appointed committee started engaging with the farmers’ organisations on the issue of the Land Bill, the Centre said it was not going back on any of the Ordinances including the one on land acquisition. However, the government made it known that it was open to suggestions when the Bills would be taken up after the Budget.