Kharge's remark sparks off laughter in Lok Sabha

Amid a high-voltage slugfest between the BJP and the Congress over the AgustaWestland chopper deal, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge's remark in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday evoked laughter from both treasury and opposition benches.

Shortly after the demands for grants were passed and the lower house was slated to take up the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2015, opposition member B. Mahtab demanded that adequate time should have been given to the members to study the proposed amendments.

Kharge was quickly on his feet and supported Mahtab of the Biju Janata Dal.

He told the treasury benches that the opposition wanted to cooperate with the government.

"Abhi humne 100 demands pass kiya without discussion. Aap sab taali bajatey rahe, aur hum dekhte rahe (just now, we passed over 100 demands without discussion. You all (treasury benches) kept on clapping and we kept on watching)," Kharge said, throwing the house into peals of laughter.

Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who otherwise maintains a serious demeanour in parliament, was unable to control himself on Kharge's remark and was seen laughing.

--IANS

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