RS Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu expunges Nirmala Sitharaman's remarks on Sonia Gandhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 1

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday expunged the remarks Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made in reference to Congress president Sonia Gandhi on July 28, while seeking an apology from party’s Lok Sabha leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for referring to President Droupadi Murmu over his “rashtrapatni”.

Sitharaman had, during her intervention on the issue, demanded an apology from Sonia, with the Congress claiming she had nothing to do with the matter.

The development came after senior opposition leaders, including Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress whip in the RS Jairam Ramesh, TMC’s Derek O’Brien and others met Naidu today in the presence of RS leader Piyush Goyal and argued that as per conventions and rulings of past presiding officers, a member of the Lok Sabha could not be named in the Rajya Sabha.

The agreement on the issue today paved the way for smooth functioning of the Rajya Sabha from Tuesday, when the House is scheduled to discuss price rise.

Earlier today, the Lok Sabha Speaker restored peace in a dysfunctional Lower House by revoking the suspension of four Congress MPs on the assurance that they won’t carry placards to the chamber.

With the thaw today, the government floor leaders hope to pass the pending legislative agenda in both Houses. The first two weeks of Parliament have been a complete washout, with the Opposition insisting on a discussion on price rise, GST and Agnipath before anything else.

Sought apology for comment on Prez

Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had on July 28 demanded an apology from Congress president Sonia Gandhi for the "Rashtrapatni" remark by party MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, whom she accused of insulting the President.

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