New Delhi: A low-decibel verbal sparring took place between Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani and Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury during Question Hour in Lok Sabha over the former’s use of the word ‘gentleman’ on Friday.
Responding to a supplementary question by Chandra Sekhar Sahu of the BJD on fortified food for children, Smriti Irani referred to him as "gentleman" which was objected to by Chowdhury, who said that as per parliamentary procedures, the Union Minister should have referred to him as "honourable member".
However, Irani retorted saying Chowdhury was interrupting her reply to impress his "political masters" and score brownie points by making an issue out of nothing.
Chowdhury was supported by another Congress member K Suresh.
"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," Irani said.
Meanwhile, when the BJD member, while asking the second supplementary question, referred to Smriti Irani as "honourable madam", she expressed her gratitude to the member.
At this point, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury again raised the issue as to why she used the term "gentleman".
To this, Irani said that she was being interrupted by the Congress member as a political move, since she was being shown respect by the BJD member.
Notably, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi was also present in the House.
Meanwhile, a video of Irani from the 1998 edition of Miss India beauty pageant found its way into an ongoing row over the movie 'Pathaan', setting off a war of words between leaders of the BJP and the Trinamool Congress.