"Those sitting inside bite, dogs don't," Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury said on Monday after she arrived in Parliament with a rescued stray in her car, triggering a row and prompting some ruling party members to accuse her of indulging in drama.
Chowdhury said she had picked up the stray earlier in the day and was taking it to a veterinarian. She also claimed that the government does not like animals and questioned the objections raised by the ruling party MPs, saying there was no law against rescuing a stray dog.
"This government does not like animals. Animals don't have a voice. It (dog) was in the car, so what is their problem? It is so small, does it look like it will bite? Those sitting inside Parliament bite, not dogs," she told reporters when asked about the dog in her car.
"Which law says that I can't rescue a dog?" she added.
Chowdhury, a self-confessed dog lover, has a few pets at home. Sources close to the MP said her driver was supposed to take the canine to a veterinarian after dropping her off at Parliament.
However, BJP MP Jagdambika Pal accused Chowdhury of indulging in a "tamasha" (theatrics) and violating protocol by bringing a dog to Parliament. He argued that members cannot bring anyone inside Parliament without proper documents and demanded action against the Congress MP.
"You are not serious about debating issues... you are making a joke of Parliament with such tamasha... She is a member of the House and should raise issues of public importance instead of indulging in such drama," Pal said.
"She should be taken to task by the Chairman of the House," Pal asserted, while seeking action against her.
The BJP member said one cannot bring dogs or animals inside the Parliament premises.