Pralhad Joshi submits notice to LS Speaker Om Birla against 2 Cong MPs over 'misconduct'

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi has submitted a notice to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking action against the two Congress MPs under Rule 374 for their alleged misconduct with fellow Minister Smriti Irani in the House on Thursday, according to reports. Joshi raised the matter of alleged misbehaviour after the House met at 1.30 pm following an adjournment earlier. He said that it was wrong to come in front of a woman MP in a 'threatening position.'

Pralhad Joshi and other BJP members demanded strict action against Congress MPs Dean Kuriakose and TN Prathapan for allegedly "threatening" Smriti Irani while she was responding to concerns in Lok Sabha on the torching of Unnao rape victim by her culprits. "She was expressing her opinion. The behaviour is most uncalled for. Call the two members. They should apologise," Joshi said.

READ | Smriti Irani Attacks Opposition In Lok Sabha, Says 'stop Politicizing Women's Issues'

Heated debate in Lok Sabha

Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smriti Irani engaged in a heated debate over women's rights in the Lok Sabha where she urged all politicians to "stop communalizing and politicizing women issues." Lodging a very specific attack on a West Bengal MP who she did not want to call out in the parliament she said that "a member used Telengana and Unnao incidents but selectively forgot Malda. Rape has been used as a political weapon in West Bengal." This caused a massive uproar in the Lok Sabha after which Smriti Irani lodged further allegations against the opposition parties.

READ | Government Seeks Apology From Congress MPs For Behaviour Towards Smriti Irani

Irani doubles down on Opposition

Speaking to reporters in the Parliament complex, Irani said, "Today, I had a Congress MP chastising me for, he said, I spoke aggressively. In the House, some male MPs came towards me rolling up their sleeves. After that, a youth MP said why did Smriti even speak? I am saddened. If speaking is a crime since I am a BJP member, I want to see in Parliament on Monday how is the opposition going to punish me further for speaking in the interest of women," she said.

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Meenakshi Lekhi, who was in the Chair, told Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury to ask his party MPs to come to the House and seek an apology. Ruling BJP members accused Kuriakose and Prathapan of charging towards Irani when she was speaking in the House. BJP's Sangeeta Singh Deo described it as a "black day in the temple of democracy." Deo said Irani did not make any derogatory and inflammatory remarks.

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(With ANI inputs)