PM’s remarks expunged

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday expunged certain remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the House that were found to be "objectionable". This is a major embarrassment for the government as remarks made by the prime minister are rarely expunged.

The remarks were made by the prime minister while re- ferring to the opposition's candidate BK Hariprasad, who had lost out in the race for the post of Rajya Sabha deputy chairman.

PM Modi, in his speech, while congratulating its nominee Harivansh, had said the election was between "two Haris". He went on to take a swipe at Congress candidate Hariprasad, playing on his initials, which was seen as derogatory and infuriated the Congress.

Hariprasad had said on Thursday it was unfortunate that the prime minister had lowered the dignity of the House by playing on his initials.

The Congress, on Friday, said the prime minister's words, spoken as part of a felicitation message on the floor of the House, were illchosen and unseemly.

"I think it is a massive shame for this country when the PM himself uses unparliamentary expressions in a

House of the Parliament," said Shashi Tharoor.

"I think PM Mo di is avery fine speaker and rhetorician. He prides himself on being able to find play on words and I think that should be applauded. We need some creativity of expression but, at the same time, there are some limits that must not be crossed and very sadly it is clear that these limits have been crossed ," he added.

However, BJP leaders cited it as an example of Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu's fairness and non-partisanship that he had expunged the remarks.

The chairman also expunged a word uttered by Union Minister Ramdas Athawale during the felicitations. Chairman Naidu had on Thursday said in the House that he will look into the remarks and see if there was something objectionable. According to NDTV, it is rare but this may not be the first instance of a prime minister's comments being expunged. In 2013, a sharp exchange in Parliament between then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Arun Jaitley, who was in the opposition, resulted in some words used by both of them being deleted.