When asked what was going on by our senior leader Rama Devi, Sonia Gandhi remarked to one of our members, "You don't talk to me," according to Nirmala Sitharaman, who was speaking to the media at the time: "Some of our Lok Sabha MPs felt threatened."
Digital Desk: Union Minister Smriti Irani and Congress
President Sonia Gandhi got into a heated spat in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
Sonia Gandhi approached BJP leader Rama Devi after the Lok Sabha
was suspended at lunchtime due to controversy surrounding a 'Rashtrapatni'
comment made by Congress MP AR Chowdhury.
Gandhi became extremely irritated when Smriti Irani interrupted
the conversation and motioned for Irani "not to talk to her."
When asked what was going on by our senior leader Rama Devi, Sonia
Gandhi remarked to one of our members, "You don't talk to me,"
according to Nirmala Sitharaman, who was speaking to the media at the time:
"Some of our Lok Sabha MPs felt threatened."
As BJP members gathered around Rama Devi and Gandhi, NCP member
Supriya Sule and Trinamool member Aparupa Poddar were seen bringing the
Congress president out from the Treasury benches.
The protests over Chowdhury's remarks were led by BJP women
lawmakers who sat in the first rows of the Lok Sabha.
Rama Devi later revealed to the media that Gandhi had asked her
why her name had been connected to the controversy. Gandhi questioned Rama
Devi, a BJP representative from Sheohar in Bihar, "What is my fault."
According to Rama Devi, she told Gandhi that it was her fault for
choosing Chowdhury to lead the Congress in the Lok Sabha.
Gandhi was accused of using a "threatening tone" with
BJP members, as per Sitharaman, who was speaking to the media inside the Parliament
building.
Gandhi allegedly warned BJP members "you don't talk to
me" when they inquired about the topic under discussion, according to
Sitharaman.
"She is deceiving by asserting that Adhir Chowdhury has
already expressed regret rather than offering an apology. Instead of
apologizing, she uses threats "Referring to the event in the Lok Sabha
chamber, Sitharaman stated.
Responding, Congressman Jairam Ramesh called Irani's actions
"outrageous."
"Smriti Irani, a
Union Minister, acted in a despicable and unacceptable manner in the Lok Sabha
today. Will the Speaker, however, raise her? Do regulations just apply to the
opposition? "Ramesh, the general secretary of the AICC, tweeted.
Even when provoked,
according to former union minister Milind Deora, Gandhi never acted impolitely
or rudely.
"She has previously been unfairly and intentionally targeted both inside and outside of Parliament. She has endured and always will "Deora tweeted a statement.
