A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a dig at Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury in the Rajya Sabha, a war of words broke out between the BJP and Congress on Thursday with both the sides threatening to move privilege motion against each other. The main Opposition party also forced an adjournment of Rajya Sabha proceedings in the pre lunch session.
Taking exception to Modi's remarks, Chowdhury termed them as "objectionable" and said on Thursday she will file a privilege motion. The Congress MP also said she will seek against Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju who had posted a video appearing to ridicule her. BJP MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe countered that he will also move a privilege motion against Chowdhury for disrespecting the Prime Minister.
During the reply to the debate on Motion of Thanks on President's address on Wednesday, Modi had questioned the Congress's claim of being the originator of the biometric national ID Aadhaar. When the Prime Minister said the then Home Minister l K Advani had in 1998 spoken about an all-purpose national ID in Rajya Sabha, Chowdhury burst out into loud laughter. Naidu had disapproved of the behaviour but Modi asked him not to stop Chowdhury.
"Sabhapati ji meri aapse vinti hai Renuka ji ko kuch mat kahiye. Ramayan serial ke baad aisi hansi sunne ka saubhagya aaj jaake mila hai (I request you not to say anything to Renuka ji. After the Ramayan serial, we got the privilege of hearing this kind of laughter only today," he said, to the amusement of top BJP leaders and other ministers sitting around him. Chowdhury had protested the remarks but the chairman did not allow her comments to go on record.
Hours later, Rijiju shared a video that has now vanished from his Facebook page. It was a clip of the much-talked about exchange in parliament, but began with what many interpreted as Modi's insinuation - the "evil laugh" of Surpanakha, the sister of demon king Ravana, from a Ramayana episode.
On Thursday morning, Rijiju posted another version on Twitter - without the Surpanakha clip.
Congress tweeted: "We condemn PM Modi's derogatory remark in Parliament against former Union minister and RS MP Renuka Chowdhury. We also urge the RS Speaker Shri Venkaiah Naidu to not act in a partisan manner and accord due respect to a fellow member of the house," it said.
Some Congress members including Viplove Thakur and others tried to flag the issue in the Rajya Sabha and came into the aisles to register their protest. Naidu, however, did not allow them to raise the matter and several Congress MPs stood near their seats. The Chair chided the members for their "unbecoming" behaviour and asked them to resume their places. He then adjourned the proceedings till 12.00 pm at 11.15 am.
NDA's women Ministers Smriti Irani and Harsimrat Kaur Badal have taken on Chowdhury pointing to her behaviour prompting senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily to join issue. Moily said some women ministers have said that Chowdhury deserved the comment from PM, of course, they are entitled to defend PM but they should not act like slaves of the PM. But senior BJP leader Bhupender Yadav said, "Isko thahaaka nahi attahaas kehte hain, jis prakar se hansi thi ki agar koi bachha sun le to dar jaaye. We want media to show this on channels that how Congress makes its members behave indecently in Parliament. It's unfortunate and they must apologise for it."