Thaindian News

New Delhi, May 5 (IANS) The controversy over unparliamentary remarks in the Lok Sabha by Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay against Basudeb Acharia seems to be over with the Communist leader Wednesday saying he had closed the chapter in deference to the wishes of house members.
Acharia, a Communist Party of India-Marxist veteran, also said he was grateful to Speaker Meira Kumar for the ruling that she disapproved of the Trinamool MP’s conduct Tuesday.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned twice over the issue. When the house re-assembled at 2 p.m., Deputy Speaker Karia Munda invited the leaders of various political parties to speak on the matter.

The leaders, including Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj, Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad, Communist Party of India’s (CPI) Gurudas Das Gupta, AIADMK’s Thampi Durai, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Arjun Charan Sethi and Bahujan Samaj Party’s (BSP) Dara Singh Chauhan requested Acharia to accept Speaker Meira Kumar’s observation in the morning and treat the matter as closed.

Acharia said: “I am grateful for the speaker’s ruling. Observing that the member’s behaviour was unbecoming of a member. In deference to the wishes of the members, I close the chapter.”

Bandyopadhyay then pleaded deputy speaker for permission to speak. His party colleague and Minister of State for Health Dinesh Trivedi said Bandhyopadhyay had the right to speak as he had not misbehaved.

Bandyopadhyay said: “I have maintained in the morning that if any of my comments were unparliamentary, I am ready to apologise. I respect and agree to the speaker’s ruling.”

He, however, added that nobody should try to score a point on the matter. “I know parliamentary etiquette and need not learn it from any other party,” he added.