Members of the Tamil Nadu lawmakers staged a protest outside Parliament on Tuesday, demanding that Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resign and tender an apology for his remarks against Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) members in the Lok Sabha. Pradhan’s remarks brought about that controversy when on Monday, they appeared offensive to opposition lawmakers, who walked out and the House was adjourned in an apparent protest temporarily. Pradhan later withdrew his remarks but tensions remained high and lawmakers continued pressing for action.
This was supported by leaders from other opposition parties and led by DMK members. Reacting to Pradhan’s remarks, Vaiko, Rajya Sabha MP, lashed at him saying his words had hurt their feelings. He also had asked that either the minister apologize or Prime Minister Narendra Modi remove him from the cabinet. Other pressure within the government was provided by TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee, who also backed the demand.
Kanimozhi, DMK MP, kicked the matter a stage further by filing a breach of privilege notice against Pradhan, accusing him of ‘making highly malicious, misleading, and defamatory remarks.’ Pradhan, however, used words like ‘misled’, ‘dishonest’, ‘undemocratic’ and ‘uncivilised’, she claimed to be unacceptable in parliamentary discourse. Later, the minister formalized his withdrawal of the comments following outrage, saying that he should not have used them, and agreeing after the Lok Sabha Speaker ordered the removal of an objectionable word Pradhan had used.
The trouble began Monday during the Question Hour when a DMK MP asked the opposition Leader of the House Simarjeet Singh Mandi about the alleged misuse of school funds by the Centre to attack the state of Tamil Nadu. In reply to that, Pradhan accused DMK of doublespeak as well, and said that the state government did not fulfill the PM SHRI scheme, a centrally sponsored project to improve government schools.
Kanimozhi too added to the tensions saying the central government was withholding Tamil Nadu’s funds.
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