Sonia Gandhi raises furore in House well over BJP MP's remarks over her sister

NEW DELHI: A stunned Lok Sabha on Wednesday watched an unprecedented aggressive act from Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who for the first time in her 16-year parliamentary career rushed to the Well of the House, furiously protesting against a BJP MP’s insinuation against her sister. Such was the impact of her act that the entire Congress MPs and members of some other Opposition parties were up in arms forcing an adjournment. The government and Speaker promptly agreed to expunge the BJP MPs’ objectionable remarks from the records with strong disapproval of his conduct.

BJP MP Satish Gautam — part of a group of BJP backbenchers led by Dushyant Singh (son of Vasundhara Raje) targeting Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge’s speech on the LaMo issue — made a comment about a family member of the Congress president. Gandhi, who was listening from her front row seat, just sprung up and virtually leaped into the well of the House, furiously waving her hand in disapproval at the BJP MP’s comment. "No, no, I will not accept this," she was heard shouting as the NDA and Opposition members watched aghast. Almost the entire Congress MPs virtually jumped into the well, triggering a huge protest. Rahul Gandhi was seen with her mother and speaking to her. Sonia kept telling something to the Speaker to the effect that the BJP MP’s remark cannot be accepted.

In the din the House was adjourned. When the House reassembled, Kharge made it clear that debate can continue only if the BJP MP’s remarks are expunged and he apologised.