<p>Facing criticism for using pepper spray in the Lok Sabha during introduction of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, L Rajagopal, an MP from Seemandhra, on Friday regretted the act, but maintained that he had done it in self defence.<br /><br /></p>.<p>“I am not saying what happened in Parliament was the right thing. Definitely, all of us regret it; all of us feel ashamed of what happened,” he told reporters here.<br /><br />Appearing to have mellowed down a day later, he, however, defended his act, saying he had used the pepper spray to defend one of his parliamentary colleagues who was being “manhandled” by political opponents.<br /><br />Some Lok Sabha members, “at the behest of the Congress leadership”, had tried to “manhandle” MPs from Seemandhra, he said.<br /><br />“I had to do something in self-defence. I did not want to use tactics like engaging in a fistfight. Hence, I used the spray when I saw a colleague from a different party being manhandled,” he said.<br /><br />“I went to rescue Venugopal Reddy when he was targeted by Congress MPs while protesting in the Well of the House. (But) they started attacking me. So, I used the pepper spray in self defence,” said Rajagopal.<br /><br />He said he always carries pepper spray as he is “under great threat from these forces”—a reference to supporters of Telangana statehood.</p>
<p>Facing criticism for using pepper spray in the Lok Sabha during introduction of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, L Rajagopal, an MP from Seemandhra, on Friday regretted the act, but maintained that he had done it in self defence.<br /><br /></p>.<p>“I am not saying what happened in Parliament was the right thing. Definitely, all of us regret it; all of us feel ashamed of what happened,” he told reporters here.<br /><br />Appearing to have mellowed down a day later, he, however, defended his act, saying he had used the pepper spray to defend one of his parliamentary colleagues who was being “manhandled” by political opponents.<br /><br />Some Lok Sabha members, “at the behest of the Congress leadership”, had tried to “manhandle” MPs from Seemandhra, he said.<br /><br />“I had to do something in self-defence. I did not want to use tactics like engaging in a fistfight. Hence, I used the spray when I saw a colleague from a different party being manhandled,” he said.<br /><br />“I went to rescue Venugopal Reddy when he was targeted by Congress MPs while protesting in the Well of the House. (But) they started attacking me. So, I used the pepper spray in self defence,” said Rajagopal.<br /><br />He said he always carries pepper spray as he is “under great threat from these forces”—a reference to supporters of Telangana statehood.</p>
