Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Saugata Roy spat turns ugly

Getting up to reply, Rudy said, “The matter raised by Kharge Sahab is a matter of concern not just for India but for the entire world.” Even as Rudy was in the middle of his sentence, Saugata Roy interjected, saying, “This matter is pertaining to the External Affairs Minister. Why is he replying on it?”

A visibly agitated Rudy replied, “I am a minister in the government… who are you to ask me to stop? What is your problem, Mr Saugata Roy?… Madam, this is the habit of these people… If I am representing the government, who is he to question me? I am responding to him (Kharge), who are you?”

Rudy then added that he was only trying to say that the matter will be answered in the House. “If he has an objection to this too… if he thinks all his wishes be fulfilled, that is not possible in this House,” Rudy shot back.

As temperatures rose, Kharge, too, jumped into the melee. “How can he (Rudy) question a member saying “Who are you to stop me?” He (Roy) is a member. He has got every right to ask. You cannot challenge a member. You can plead that you can answer… But you cannot say, “Who are you to ask me?” This is unfair. It is against principles and it is against the rules,” Kharge said.

Rudy, who by this time had become even more agitated, continued, “Madam, if I am speaking something and even if the Opposition is not ready to give that space to a Parliamentary Affairs Minister, I have to understand really what is my role. If I wanted to say that this is a serious issue and the government would respond, what is the problem of TMC in having this reply from the government? What is this arrogance?”

“Every time I get up, they have to get up. This is not West Bengal Assembly. This is the Parliament of India. They should understand it,” he said, even as Trinamool’s Sultan Ahmed kept shouting: “You are arrogant. Improve your conduct.”