Saugata Roy's 'personal comments' aimed at Nirmala Sitharaman expunged from Lok Sabha record, BJP seeks apology

New Delhi: Personal comments aimed at finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman from Trinamool Congress member Saugata Roy in Lok Sabha on Monday drew a sharp reaction from the treasury benches with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi demanding an unconditional apology. Roy’s comments were expunged by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The TMC MP was objecting to the Banking Regulation (Amendment ) Bill when he made the remarks targeting Sitharaman while referring to the stress in the economy. Attacking Roy, Joshi said, “We can also do it. But this is not our culture. He is a senior member. What is he talking? He should apologise unconditionally. It is an insult to the womenfolk,” he said. Other BJP members, including Union minister Smriti Irani, were also seen reacting angrily to the TMC member’s remarks. In her statement on the Bill, Sitharaman strongly defended it and then referred to Roy’s personal dig to say, “If only Prof Saugata Roy can listen rather than get distracted by other factors.”