<p> Under fire for his pepper spray attack in Lok Sabha during introduction of Telangana bill, Seemandhra MP L Rajagopal today defended his actions, saying he did it in self defence.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Rajagopal, who was suspended from the Lok Sabha by Speaker Meira Kumar, also demanded similar action against Congress MPs alleging they had "pounced" on him and TDP member Venugopal Reddy.<br /><br />"I went to rescue TDP MP M Venugopala Reddy who was targeted by Congress MPs while protesting in the Well of the House. I immediately rushed from the other side to protect him. They started attacking me. So immediately as a self defence, I used the pepper spray," Rajagopal told reporters outside Parliament House.<br /><br />Flanked by Congress MP Anantha Vekatarami Reddy and his colleagues from Seemandhra region, Rajagopal said he always carries a pepper spray can as he was "under great threat from these forces"--a reference to pro-Telangana protesters-- and he used it as a self protection.<br /><br />Asked whether he felt that use of such a "hazardous" thing in the House was right when there are senior members who have asthma and respiratory problems, Rajagopal said, "Pepper spray is a defencive thing which women are using when they are under attack. Here I had been under attack."<br /><br />"I don't want to use any lethal weapons. I am a person who never has any security. So I felt that like women are protecting themselves, let me also have something ... because I know how these divisive forces, how they created ruckus on many occasions, so I always carry that in my pocket and I used it the moment they started attacking," he said.<br /><br />"In fact they did not attack me. They were attacking one of the TDP members.... I had to go and rescue him. When they started attacking me, I used it as a self-defence," he said.<br /><br />Asked whether he felt that the incident was unfortunate, Rajagopal, who was expelled from the Congress alongwith five other Seemandhra MPs for pressing for non-confidence motion against UPA Government, said, "Congress Party talks about democracy" but is indulging in blame game "without following any democratic practices."<br /><br />On his suspension from the House, he said, "they should suspend the entire Congress lords who have pounced on us....<br /><br />"It is not only Andhra Pradesh MPs, Congress MPs from various states..Speaker should suspend all the Congress MPs who came to the Well."</p>
<p> Under fire for his pepper spray attack in Lok Sabha during introduction of Telangana bill, Seemandhra MP L Rajagopal today defended his actions, saying he did it in self defence.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Rajagopal, who was suspended from the Lok Sabha by Speaker Meira Kumar, also demanded similar action against Congress MPs alleging they had "pounced" on him and TDP member Venugopal Reddy.<br /><br />"I went to rescue TDP MP M Venugopala Reddy who was targeted by Congress MPs while protesting in the Well of the House. I immediately rushed from the other side to protect him. They started attacking me. So immediately as a self defence, I used the pepper spray," Rajagopal told reporters outside Parliament House.<br /><br />Flanked by Congress MP Anantha Vekatarami Reddy and his colleagues from Seemandhra region, Rajagopal said he always carries a pepper spray can as he was "under great threat from these forces"--a reference to pro-Telangana protesters-- and he used it as a self protection.<br /><br />Asked whether he felt that use of such a "hazardous" thing in the House was right when there are senior members who have asthma and respiratory problems, Rajagopal said, "Pepper spray is a defencive thing which women are using when they are under attack. Here I had been under attack."<br /><br />"I don't want to use any lethal weapons. I am a person who never has any security. So I felt that like women are protecting themselves, let me also have something ... because I know how these divisive forces, how they created ruckus on many occasions, so I always carry that in my pocket and I used it the moment they started attacking," he said.<br /><br />"In fact they did not attack me. They were attacking one of the TDP members.... I had to go and rescue him. When they started attacking me, I used it as a self-defence," he said.<br /><br />Asked whether he felt that the incident was unfortunate, Rajagopal, who was expelled from the Congress alongwith five other Seemandhra MPs for pressing for non-confidence motion against UPA Government, said, "Congress Party talks about democracy" but is indulging in blame game "without following any democratic practices."<br /><br />On his suspension from the House, he said, "they should suspend the entire Congress lords who have pounced on us....<br /><br />"It is not only Andhra Pradesh MPs, Congress MPs from various states..Speaker should suspend all the Congress MPs who came to the Well."</p>