The Lok Sabha witnessed an uproar on Tuesday as Congress and BJP members engaged in sharp exchanges over onion prices and Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s comments relating to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Ministers Amit Shah and Nirmala Sitharaman.
The ruckus erupted during Zero Hour, when Congress members led by Mr. Chowdhury raised the issue of the “skyrocketing” prices of onions. The Treasury benches promptly hit back by demanding an apology from Mr. Chowdhury for earlier referring to Mr. Modi and Mr. Shah as “infiltrator”, and describing Ms. Sitharaman as a “weak” Finance Minister.
The Congress leader had attacked the government over the high prices of commodities of daily use like onions, vegetables, and pulses. “There is fire inside the markets across the whole country as the prices of all items have been increasing, especially onion,” Mr. Chowdhury said.
“The Centre imports onion at the price of ₹67 a kg , which is being sold in the market at the price of ₹130-140 a kg,” Mr. Chowdhury said.
Accusing the government of not taking strong steps to curb prices, the Congress leader said the government should apologise to the people of the country for their hardship.
‘Apology first’
“Adhir Ranjan sahib should be given chance to speak after he renders apology for his remarks against the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister,” said Arjun Meghwal, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs. BJP member from Mumbai Poonam Mahajan slammed the Congress MP for his Nirbala (weak) remark against the Finance Minister.
“All parties were together over the issue of rape and murder of a Hyderabad doctor in the House yesterday [Monday]. But, after a while, Adhir Ranjan ji lost his patience,” Ms. Mahajan said.
“I condemn the remarks he made against our first woman Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. It is very bad. This is a government where the maximum number of women have been given post of minister,” Ms. Mahajan added.
“You are nirbal as you stand for one family. You are weak as you call the Prime Minister an infiltrator,” she said, to noisy shouts of “Adhir Ranjan Hai Hai ” from the Treasury benches.
Congress members then staged a walkout.
