New Delhi, 12 December 2024: Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee issued a written apology to Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia following his controversial remarks during a Lok Sabha debate. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla informed the House about the apology on Thursday, urging members to maintain decorum in their speeches.
The controversy arose on Wednesday during a discussion on the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
Banerjee accused the Central Government of neglecting West Bengal during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting opposition from Civil Aviation Minister Scindia. A heated exchange followed, leading to Banerjee making remarks against Scindia, which were later expunged from the House proceedings.
Despite Banerjee’s apology, Scindia refused to accept it, condemning the remarks as a personal attack and inappropriate towards women. Speaker Om Birla criticized the incident, calling it “extremely unfortunate” and reminded members to avoid personal or gender-based comments to uphold parliamentary dignity.
The uproar over the remarks disrupted the Lok Sabha proceedings multiple times on Wednesday, ultimately forcing adjournment for the day.