Adhir unmoved amid BJP jibes in LS on 'nirbala' remark

The BJP on Tuesday cornered Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in the Lok Sabha over his remarks describing Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as 'nirbala' (weak), insisting on an apology before being allowed to speak.

BJP members led by Poonam Mahajan were up on their feet, demanding an apology from Chowdhury who was called by Speaker Om Birla to raise the issue of rising prices of onions.

Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal also interjected to demand an apology from Chowdhury for his remarks terming Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah as “infiltrators” in Delhi.

“Adhir should apologise first and only then should he be allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha,” Meghwal said.

Mahajan hit back at Chowdhury describing him as a “weakling” contending that he only spoke for one political family. “You only fight for rights of women of one family and not of the entire nation,” she said amid sloganeering by a section of BJP members.

Chowdhury chose to ignore the demands and flagged the issue of rising prices of onions and accused the Modi government of being a silent spectator on the entire issue. Congress members staged a walkout on the issue accusing the government of ignoring the problems faced by the common man.

On Monday, Chowdhury described the finance minister as 'Nirbala Sitharaman', alleging that she was not being allowed to function the manner in which she would like to, and at times it appeared that she was 'Nirbala' (weak).

Chowdhury had stood his ground asserting that he had not said anything unparliamentary and the chair was free to expunge his remarks if he had said anything wrong.

The Congress leader said he considered that the matter had ended on Monday itself after the Finance Minister asserted in the Lok Sabha that she was “empowered” (sabala) and not a weakling.