Senior BJP leader asks Kamal Nath to behave

The Bharatiya Janata Party veteran Murli Manohar Joshi's complaint that Parliamentary Affairs Minister was threatening the opposition generated heat in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday but the prompt withdrawal by Kamal Nath of his remarks paved the way for running the House.

As the House reassembled at 2.30 pm after a brief adjournment, Joshi hit out at Nath, saying "he should behave".

Joshi was referring to Nath's remarks while speaking to opposition leaders soon after the House was adjourned at 2 pm.

"He (Nath) is threatening...the House will not run. This is not the way to function," the BJP leader said amid strong support from opposition benches.

The Parliamentary Affairs Minister said he was raising the issue of repeated adjournments and he was obviously angry.

"I was requesting all the members. I had requested him. ...I thought that the House will run after 2 pm. Out of anger, I said this House does not belong to me, this House belongs to you also," Nath said as he tried to pacify agitated BJP MPs.

When some BJP members were still agitated, he said, "Don't tell me how to behave. I respect my elders. I said this is the responsibility of all. I respect Joshiji. He is my senior. If he is hurt, I withdraw whatever I have said out of anger."

Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj, expressing unhappiness over what Nath had said earlier, remarked that what one says is sometimes not that important than how it is said.

She said the opposition wants discussion on Food Security Bill to be taken up at 2 pm and she had said so in a slip to Nath during an all party meeting earlier.