Former defence minister George Fernandes came under severe criticism from Congress on Friday for his uncharitable remarks on Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. This resulted in adjournment of both houses of Parliament.

In the Lok Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister P R Dasmunshi described Mr Fernandes as “mentally unsound.” In the Rajya Sabha, Congress leader Shantaram Lakshman Naik asked Home Minister Shivraj Patil to lodge an FIR against the former defence minister.

 In a reference to the India-US nuclear deal on Thursday,  Fernandes had said, “the Americans chose to make a monkey of our prime minister by using the 60th birthday of India to spill the beans. The prime minister has betrayed the nation by continuous bluffing, something unbecoming of the head of government.”

Continuing his diatribe, the NDA convenor said, “if it were China, they would have settled it with one bullet in his head.” Asking the socialist veteran to withdraw the statement, Mr Dasmunshi wondered, “is he not mentally sound? Let him decide whether he is mentally sound or not.” As the din continued,  Fernandes sat quietly with a sheepish smile.

Dasmunshi demanded an apology from Fernandes, who refused to apologise. 

The Lok Sabha Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee, said, as the statement was not made inside the House, he could not compel anybody to say anything.k