On Wednesday, TMC MP Mahua Moitra who sparked a controversy by using abusive language in the Parliament remained obstinate and stated that Pralhad Joshi, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, would have to wait for a long time to get her to apologize.
Refusing to issue an apology for using unparliamentary language in the Parliament, Moitra said, “He is going to be a long time waiting for that one (apology) because before he asks me for an apology, he should ask his ‘not so honourable’ MP from Delhi who did nothing but jumped up and down like a monkey yesterday, trying to heckle my speech.”
Moitra was speaking at the India Today exclusive interview. “I think he should first ask his MP to apologise and to get his act in order before he comes around me seeking an apology,” she blatantly added.
#EXCLUSIVE | What’s your response to Pralhad Joshi who want an apology from you for using unparliamentary language? Here what TMC MP #MahuaMoitra said to @SardesaiRajdeep.
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) February 8, 2023
Full video of #NewsToday – https://t.co/wwJHAOK9zQ pic.twitter.com/g0TKojHiNe
Moitra on Tuesday used the word ‘hara*i’ while another lawmaker, K Ram Mohan Naidu of the Telugu Desham Party was speaking in the Lok Sabha. The MP from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s party went on an unhinged rant following the uproar on social media over her actions. The video of the incident went viral over the internet with netizens questioning her behaviour, which further irked the MP.
On February 7, the Chairperson of the Parliament mentioned that none of her statements would go on record. He said, “No harsh word need be used in the House, that too, offensive word should not be used. When it has been used, as we all know, I will request the Leader of the concerned Party and the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs to consult and take an appropriate decision.”
Following this, Pralhad Joshi, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs met Sudeep Banerjee of the TMC and asked for Moitra’s apology. In the Lok Sabha, Pralhad Joshi had promised to talk with the TMC party leader. “I would ask them to apologise but if she doesn’t, then it’s their culture,” Joshi had said.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi demands apology from TMC after Mahua Moitra uses ‘offensive’ word in Parliament
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) February 7, 2023
Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/MNBsOUN6iD#PrahladJoshi #MahuaMoitra #BJP #TMC #Parliament pic.twitter.com/CuJnRimOKx
Despite several BJP leaders criticising Moitra for using unparliamentary language for BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri, Moitra remained defiant about her comments and blamed the Indian patriarchial system. She indicated that nobody would have targeted a man for saying what she said. The MP instead of issuing an apology, counter-attacked the people yesterday who slammed her for using the ‘hara*i’ word inside the parliament.
“BJP is saying how can I use such a word being woman, do I need to be a man to be able to give it back as good as it gets? So there’s patriarchy. I’m surprised BJP is teaching us parliamentary etiquette. That representative from Delhi heckled me. I’ll call an apple an apple, not an orange…if they’ll take me to the privileges committee, I’ll put my side of the story,” TMC MP Mahua Moitra said on February 8.
In the meantime, BJP MP Bidhuri criticised Moitra and stated that people send their leaders to Parliament as their representatives and that the leaders are supposed to act in accordance with the rules of the House. Bidhuri and Moitra exchanged heated argument in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
