Standoff in Par over remarks by Bandyopadhyay, Aiyar ends

The standoff in Parliament over remarks of Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Mani Shankar Aiyar against Opposition ended today with the Trinamool Congress member being reprimanded by the Speaker and Aiyar expressing regrets.

The standoff in Parliament over remarks of Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Mani Shankar Aiyar against Opposition ended on Wednesday with the Trinamool Congress member being reprimanded by Speaker and Aiyar expressing regrets.

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In the Lok Sabha, reprimand of Bandyopadhyay by Speaker Meira Kumar and Opposition appeals to CPI (M) leader Basudeb Acharia for "forgive and forget" resolved the deadlock.

Aiyar (Nominated) expressed "regret" in the Rajya Sabha for his remarks against Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley two days back, which provoked the BJP to stall the proceedings repeatedly.

He said the Chair has already expunged certain words used by him during the debate on the working of the Ministry of Home Affairs on May 3.

"I bow to the Chair," Aiyar said, adding he was named the best Parliamentarian in 2006.

After Jaitley's nod, the BJP allowed the House to resume normal business, which included introduction of the Green Tribunal Bill and debate on it.

Bandopadhyay had earlier earned the wrath of the Speaker who disapproved of his "quite unbecoming" behaviour, making the Trinamool Congress leader the first member to be reprimanded in the current Lok Sabha.

Noting that Bandyopadhyay used certain words, the Speaker said, "Those words and the manner in which they were said were quite unbecoming of a member of the House. I disapprove of such conduct. I hope no member will again give an occasion for the Chair to make such an observation."

Left members had stormed the well earlier in the day, saying nothing short of an unconditional apology would suffice.

Earlier, continuing their protests against the remarks by Bandyopadhyay and Aiyar, the Left stalled proceedings in the lower house while the BJP forced adjournment in the Rajya Sabha.