BJP seeks apology from Congress' Prathapan, Kuriakose for threatening Irani

BJP members on Friday sought unconditional apology and suspension of Congress members T.N. Prathapan and Dean Kuriakose accusing them of showing threatening physical posture against Union Minister Smriti Irani after she spoke on brutal attack on a rape survivor in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district.

The matter escalated after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi raised the issue at 2.30 p.m. twice when the House assembled after two brief adjournments.

It is alleged by the treasure benches that the two Congress members showed threatening posture against Irani and one of them pulled up his sleeve and came forward leaving his seat.

Raising the issued, Joshi said it was wrong to show “threatening posture” in front of a woman MP. “She (Irani) was expressing her opinion. The behaviour is most uncalled for. They should apologise.”

Calling the behaviour of the Congress members “condemnable”, Joshi said: “As the two Congress members are missing from the House even after their party leader of the House was asked. They should be summoned or suspended as all women parliamentarians are agitated with their behaviour against a woman MP.”

Joshi had also raised the issue at 1.30 p.m. when the House met after its first adjournment.

BJD’s Anubhav Mohanty said every woman member has a right to speak and such act by a male MP is condemnable. “The act not only hurt the sentiments of the women but also the men. I am with the chair what the decision will be taken.”

BJP’s Surinderjeet Singh Ahluwalia said how we will repay the cost of “Rakhi” to our sisters when such MPs would pull up hands to threaten their women colleagues. “House leader should apologies otherwise strict actions should be taken against them.”

BJP’s Vishnu Datt Sharma said these are those MPs who recently clashed with marshals. “Had they been punished at that time, they would not have mustered courage to misbehave a woman MP this time.”

BJP MP Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo said one of the MPs behaved in a threatening way. “He pulled up his sleeve, he came forward, she said.

Sumedhanand Saraswati of BJP sought for strict action against the two MPs.

BJP MP Rama Devi also sought strong action against the Congress MPs, saying “they should be suspended from the House”.

Aam Aadmi Party’s Bhagwant Mann said if lawmakers will do such things, what can be expected from others.

Meanwhile, other women MP’s from treasure benches stood on their seat when Congress leader of House Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury entered the House and sought permission from the chair to speak on the issue.

The woman MPs started sloganeering “we want justice”, and then BJP’s Meenakshi Lekhi, who was on the chair, adjourned the House for the day, ignoring Chowdhury’s request to allow him to speak.

Earlier, Lekhi asked Chowdhury to talk to the party MPs for apology and adjourned the House till 2.30 p.m.

The House then witnessed clash between Congress and BJP members with both accusing each other of politicizing the brutal incident in which Unnao rape survivor was set ablaze.

Irani accused the opposition parties of being quiet “when rape was used as a political weapon” in West Bengal panchayat elections.-IANS News