Opposition sheds crocodile tears on propriety: Manish Tewari

As the opposition cornered the government over the the food security ordinance, union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Manish Tewari Thursday said only crocodile tears were being shed over parliamentary propriety.

The principal opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Left parties and several other parties have raised objections to the government's move to bring in an ordinance on the food security bill without facing parliament.

Tewari said that even though the opposition was accusing the government of demeaning parliament, it had not respected the institution either and had repeatedly forced adjournments and disrupted proceedings.

"It is amusing that the ones who are shedding crocodile tears on parliamentary propriety are also the ones who have acquired a PhD in disruptionitis (sic)," Tewari told reporters here.

"The opposition needs to reflect as to the manner in which they have treated parliament, the scant respect they have displayed for parliamentary institutions, parliamentary traditions, and the functioning of parliament. Don't we all recall the November session of 2010, which was wiped out, don't we recall the monsoon session of last year," he asked.