2 Cong MPs face suspension for 'threatening' Smriti in LS

* Row erupts during a debate on women’s safety

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Tribune News Service

New Delhi, Dec 6

Two Congress members from Kerala are likely to be suspended from the Lok Sabha on Monday for exhibiting “threatening posture” to Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani during a debate in the House on women’s safety today.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi complained to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla under Rule 374 of the House proceedings which allows the Chair to name and suspend disorderly MPs for a specified period.

The government will move a motion on Monday under Rule 374 (2) of Lok Sabha proceedings to seek the suspension of TN Prathapan and Dean Kuriakose of the Congress who did not apologise for their conduct in the House despite two adjournments on the matter, and the Chair urging the Congress to press the MPs to regret.

The row erupted during Zero Hour when the brutal torching of the Unnao rape victim was being discussed.

The trigger came when Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury took a swipe at the BJP saying “Sita is being burnt while a Ram Temple is being built in UP,” Chowdhury’s reference to the BJP-ruled UP as a “lawless state” provoked ruling party members who took offence and attacked the Congress leader even as opposition members demanded the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah in the House.

Meanwhile Irani rose to speak and counter attacked the Opposition saying the Unnao matter was being “communalised and polarised”. The Women and Child Development Minister also attacked Trinamool Congress for using the Malda rape case as a “tool in panchayat polls”.

A confrontation with TMC’s Saugata Roy followed with an agitated Irani slamming the TMC leader for “feigning ignorance about Malda.”

Irani advocated death penalty for Unnao accused and while she did so, Congress MPs Prathapan and Kuriakose stood in the aisle near the Well posturing aggressively to Irani who too stepped out from her seat gesturing Congress members to bring it on.