A range of issues figured in the Lok Sabha on Thursday including the Government seeking to put to rest the controversy over Puducherry Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi's tweet which, it said, she "deleted" and also expressed regret over it besides Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra trying to raise the alleged false reportage and personal attacks on her by a TV news channel and its editor.
DMK members had on Wednesday objected to Bedi's alleged comments "insulting" politicians and people of Tamil Nadu. DMK leader TR Balu, for the second day , raised the issue again in the lower house and demanded action against her.
Responding to the DMK's protest, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Bedi has already deleted the tweet and issued a statement expressing deep regret. He said when the matter was raised in Parliament by Baalu, the Ministry of Home Affairs took notice of it and took necessary action in this regard.
Rajnath said she has expressed deep regret by saying, "What was written was a people perspective shared in my personal capacity, as it came at a time when people were hugely suffering for water in Chennai. However, I admit it was avoidable. And I should not have shared it in public in this manner and I too realised it."
"I have therefore deleted my sharing. I have the highest regards and warmth for the people of Tamil Nadu, like I have for the people of Puducherry," he quoted Bedi's statement.
The Defence Minister said in view of the LG's statement, he would like to request members of the House to put the issue to rest.
After Rajnath's statement, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury demanded the House should adopt a resolution condemning Bedi for allegedly humiliating the people of Tamil Nadu.
As Zero Hour commenced, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said a privilege motion submitted by Moitra was under his consideration.
Moitra said she wanted to highlight an important issue through a point of order. However, as soon as she took the names of the channel and the editor and tried to read out a statement, the Speaker asked her not to do so. The Speaker said he cannot allow name of any person, not a member of the house, to be mentioned in the house
Immediately, the Speaker asked another MP to speak which forced Moitra to take her seat without completing her statement.
The 42-year-old, who is a former investment banker, trended on social media after her speech on June 25 during a debate on the President's address where she sought to detail " seven signs of fascism" in India. She was reportedly accused of plagiarism by a foreign-based publication to which she has expressed her surprise saying her source was clearly mentioned in her Lok Sabha speech. Moitra is a first-time MP from West Bengal's Krishnanagar.
On another issue, the government said there is no evidence to show that buildings with glass facades utilise extra energy. Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri told the Lok Sabha that, in fact, a glass building when properly designed, can have benefits.
Citing a study by IIT Delhi in July 2011, the minister said though glass facade leads to higher energy consumption in buildings, the actual quantum of consumption depends on various factors such as building type, glazing type, glazing orientation and climate type.
BJP MP Hema Malini, for her part, raised the issue of attack on doctors, saying they are assaulted by "lynch mobs with impunity" and demanded a strict law to protect them.