New Delhi: The word 'gentleman' launched Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani and Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury into a spat in Lok Sabha on Friday, PTI reported.
While Irani was responding to a supplementary question by BJD's Chandra Sekhar Sahu, minister Irani referred to him as "gentleman". Ranjan Chowdhary issued on it and said that the minister must have referred to Sahu as an "honourable member" as per the parliamentary procedures.
To this, Irani lashed back that Chowdhary was interrupting her to impress his "political masters". However, Chowdhary was seconded by the Congress member, K Suresh, in the House, where senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi was also present.
Irani said, "I would...request the member who stands here trying to ensure that I do not speak to score political brownie points...For him to presume that the gentleman is not a gentleman is an issue to deal (with) between the gentleman and the so-called member."