Congress-BJP members spar in Lok Sabha

Members from the BJP and Congress got into a war of words in the Lok Sabha after Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge claimed people from his party laid down their lives for the nation, while none from the BJP did.

Leader of Opposition Kharge also mentioned leaders like Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, and former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi who he said had laid down their lives for the country.

Kharge said no one from the present ruling party died for the nation and used "unparliamentary" language.

Even as Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said she would remove the comment from the records, it created an uproar in the treasury benches.

As ruling party members protested, Kharge said: "This is history, it is not unparliamentary."

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar objected saying: "Many people laid down their lives for the nation, Congress is not their custodian."

The Speaker responded: "I understand what you are saying, it will be taken out of record."

Instructing Kharge not to make such comments, Mahajan said: "You should not say something like this, many people have laid down their lives for the nation."

An angry Ananth Kumar said Jana Sangh leaders like Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and Deendayal Upadhyay also died for the country.

"He should apologise, ask him to apologise," Ananth Kumar urged the chair.

Mahajan, however, said it was not an issue of debate.

As members from both sides exchanged angry words, the Speaker urged them to maintain decorum.

"Whatever wrong has been said will be taken off record. Such language should not be used... Every one works for the country, let us not take it to party level," she said.