NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha witnessed a heated exchange on Wednesday as TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee made a personal remark against union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia‘s family and appearance leading to an uproar in the House.
The confrontation during a discussion on amendments to the Disaster Management Act when Banerjee accused the central government of non-cooperation during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly taking undue credit for the efforts made by state governments. “We can only hear in Parliament that Modi ji did this, Modi ji did that. (Are humare state mein kaun kiya hai, aapke state mein kaun kiya hai?) Everywhere Modi ji doesn’t do everything. (Har jagah Modi ji aa ke thodi karte hain.) We do the work, but he (PM Modi) takes the credit. (Kaam hum log karte hain, credit woh (PM Modi) le lete hain.) Sir, unfortunately, for these expenses, the central government has not paid anything.”
Responding sharply, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai accused Banerjee of ignoring the Centre’s efforts during the pandemic. “Maybe Kalyan Banerjee was sleeping during Covid when the central government, under the leadership of Narendra Modi, was benefitting the country. All over the world, vaccines were imported, including for all the states, but the West Bengal government was not giving traffic clearance to vaccine vehicles,” Rai said.
Scindia joined the debate, praising India’s handling of the pandemic. “India emerged as a ‘Vishwa Bandhu’ during the pandemic and helped all the needy countries across the world,” Scindia stated.
In response, Banerjee made personal remarks on Scindia’s family and appearance. The comments led an uproar, with BJP MPs demanding action against the TMC MP.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh BJP president Daggubati Purandeswari criticised Banerjee’s repeated personal remarks. “The repetitive comments that Kalyan Banerjee of TMC has been making against women in Parliament are very unbecoming. Even earlier, he had commented about women in the House, which is offensive. We have met the Speaker and Kiren Rijiju to request strict action against him,” Purandeswari said.
Amidst the uproar, Speaker Om Birla expunged Banerjee’s remarks and briefly adjourned the House.
When the House reconvened, Banerjee apologised for his remarks, but Scindia refused to accept. “Mr Kalyan Banerjee rose in this House and said sorry. But I will say that we all come to this House with the spirit of contribution to the nation’s development…but we also come with a sense of self-respect. Any individual in their lives will not stand compromising with their self-respect. Attack us on our policies, on our views, but if you will get personal, certainly be prepared for the response,” the Union minister said.
“He has apologised…I do not accept his apology for the personal attack that he had made on me and on the women of India,” he added.
Banerjee apologised again, but protests from treasury benches continued.
A Raja, who was presiding over the House, said the two had settled the matter between themselves.
Additionally, Women MPs of Bharatiya Janata Party also met Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to complain against TMC Lok Sabha MP