It was an unprecedented scene in Parliament on Thursday as an expelled Congress MP sprayed pepper in the House to prevent the introduction of Telangana bill. The scene that was witnessed next in the House involved fisticuffs, pepper spraying and mike breaking. Here’s how people from across the political spectrum reacted to the incident:
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath: Members tried to use gas in the House, gas the House…I did not see but I am informed that there was a knife, there was gas, there were other kinds of weapons…The circumstances and incidents which took place in the House are a big blot on our parliamentary democracy.
Congress leader Rajiv Shukla: It is an attempt to kill other members.
Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde: We will take action.
Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar: This has shamed us…This has shamed us. Our parliamentary democracy is admired throughout the world. Today what has happened is a blot (on democracy).
Photo: Telangana MP Ponnam Prabhakar writhing in pain after coming under Pepper Spray attack by Lagadapati Rajgopal
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Veteran BJP leader L K Advani: It was disgraceful for Parliament.
Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandopadhyay: It is unbelievable, disgraceful and unwarranted. Never has it happened in our Parliament and neither anywhere in the world.
Congress MP Sukhender Reddy: There should be a system to prevent MPs carrying these kinds of materials into the House.
JMM MP Kameshwar Baitha: Temple of democracy was polluted because of this and the guilty should be punished.
Congress leader Bhakta Charan Das: This is terrorist-type of behaviour and insult to democracy.
Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan: Disgusting.
TRS chief K Chandrasekhar: Today the entire country has come to know why we the Telangana people want to be separated. Their (MPs’) behaviour was for the entire country to see. If this is the behaviour, you could imagine what we are going through. This should not have happened and strong action should be taken against those who have resorted to such acts.
Jaswant Singh (Ex minister, BJP): its a disgrace.
Somnath Chatterjee – Ex-Speaker Lok Sabha: “What has happened is a blot on democracy. It has put our heads in shame. May be which party one may belong to, the expulsion of the MPs would be minimal. I think it should be followed up by a criminal complaint like FIR against the guilty and they should be adequately punished”
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With inputs from Indian Express, PTI