BJP seeks apology from Congress members in LS for 'threatening' Smriti Irani

The members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday sought apology from Congress members TN Prathapan and Dean Kuriakose in the Lok Sabha stating that they had behaved in a threatening manner with Union Minister Smriti Irani after she spoke on the tragic incident in which the Unnao rape survivor was set ablaze in Uttar Pradesh.

The matter was raised by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi after the house met at 1.30 pm following an adjournment earlier.

He said it was wrong to come in front of a woman MP in a "threatening position".

"She was expressing her opinion. The behaviour is most uncalled for. Call the two members. They should apologise," he said.

BJP MP Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo said one of the MPs behaved in a threatening way. "He pulled up his sleeve, he came forward," she said.

Meenakshi Lekhi, who was in the Chair, asked Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury to talk to the party MPs regarding the apology and adjourned the House till 2.30 pm.

The House earlier witnessed clash between Congress and BJP members with both accusing each other of politicising the brutal incident in which Unnao rape survivor was set ablaze.

Irani accused the Opposition parties of being quiet "when rape was used as a political weapon" in West Bengal panchayat elections.

The issue was raised by Chowdhury in Zero Hour.