BJP's Pilibhit MP Varun Gandhi was on Monday slammed in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly for his allegedly intemperate remarks against Sharad Pawar and Mayawati recently over price rise with Congress and SP members terming them as undemocratic and demanding stern punishment for him.
Congress Legislature Party leader Pramod Tewari, who raised the issue through a point of propriety, said the BJP MP's "derogatory" remarks undermined democratic traditions and values.
Citing an earlier instance when the young BJP leader was in the news for similar reasons, Tewari demanded that the Pilibhit MP be summoned in the House and subjected to strict punishment after taking the views of the Advocate General.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambika Chaudhary and Riyaz Ahmed of the Samajwadi Party also called for stern punishment to anyone using intemperate language which creates hatred and casts aspersions on the Leader of the House.
Coming to Varun's defence, BJP MLA Om Prakash Singh though stressing that no one should use unparlaimentary language, said Tewari had taken note of only newspaper reports and named people who were not members of the House.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Lalji Verma said as per the Constitution no one had the right to use "foul" language against anyone and supported the demand for action against anyone using such words. However, the Speaker Sukhdev Rajbhar reserved his ruling on saying that the issue needed to be looked into as the position was not clear.
At a public meeting in Bulandshahr on Saturday, Varun held both Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and UP CM Mayawati responsible for the rising food prices terming them as 'Ravan' and 'Surpnakha' respectively. PTI
