RS witnesses angry outburst by Naidu

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha today witnessed an angry outburst by Minister Venkaiah Naidu when Congress members created uproar after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “raincoat” jibe against Manmohan Singh and even asked Chairman Hamid Ansari to take care of sentiments of all the sides.

“I am very sorry sir, the Chair should keep the sentiments of all the sides of the House,” Naidu said as the Congress members interrupted the Prime Minister who was replying to a debate on Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address.

Ansari asked, “Are you suggesting it is not?”

Naidu replied, “I never said it. You understand our pain”.

He lashed out at the opposition, saying Modi had been elected as the Prime Minister by the people and respected across the world “but these people call him names.”

Earlier, Modi tore into Singh, saying that he had occupied top positions for several years and several scams occurred but yet he does not have a single blemish.

“So many scams occurred… We politicians have a lot to learn from Dr Sahab. So much happened, there is not a single blot on him. Dr Sahab is the only person who knows the art of bathing in a bathroom with a raincoat,” Modi said.

As the Prime Minister took on Singh, who had earlier described demonetisation as “loot” and “plunder”, Congress members took objection.

“We can’t tolerate this,” Congress members were heard shouting as they got up and began to leave the House.

Naidu then got up and said that records should be seen as the “Prime Minister was called Hitler, the Prime Minister was called Mussolini….the same party, the same people. What are they trying to preach us?.”

As a livid Naidu continued, the Chairman sought to continue proceedings and urged the senior minister to take his seat.

Ansari kept asking everyone to sit down. “That’s enough,” he was heard saying but the Congress members left and the Prime Minister again got up to continue his speech.