Following an uproar in the Parliament over his controversial remarks on BJP-ruled northern states, DMK MP DNV Senthil Kumar apologised to the Parliament on Wednesday morning.
"The statement made by me yesterday inadvertently, if it had hurt the sentiments of the Members and sections of the people, I would like to withdraw it. I request the words to be expunged...I regret it," he told the Speaker.
His apology came after BJP MPs created a ruckus in the House seeking an apology from DMK leader T R Baalu.
#WATCH | Winter Session of Parliament | DMK MP DNV Senthilkumar S expresses regret over his 'Gaumutra' remark and withdraws it.
— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2023
"The statement made by me yesterday inadvertently, if it had hurt the sentiments of the Members and sections of the people, I would like to withdraw… pic.twitter.com/S0cjyfb7HU
Shouts of "Maafi Mango" (apologise) from BJP MPs reverberated the house even before the Speaker started the proceeding for the day in the Lok Sabha.
Union ministers Piyush Goyal and Pralhad Joshi raised the issue when Speaker Om Birla called Baalu to put a question to the government during Question Hour. Both Goyal and Joshi demanded Baalu apologise for Senthil.
"Baalu ji should apologise first for the kind of remarks made by the DMK member. How can the House run like this? How can any member make any remarks and walk away," Goyal, the Union minister of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, said.
"What is your problem? You should not behave like this, Baalu said, referring to the ministers.
However, other BJP members too rose and asked Baalu to apologise. "They are trying to divide the country. Rahul Gandhi, when he lost from Amethi, also made a statement on north-south divide," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said, referring to the opposition benches.
Following this, the Sabha was adjourned.
The DMK MP had apologised for his comments in the Lower House on X, saying that he was not using the term with any "intent". "Commenting on the results of the five recent state assembly elections, I have used a word in an inappropriate way. Not using that term with any intent, I apologise for sending the wrong meaning across," he said.
However, the BJP has raised the issue with Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal saying Senthil Kumar refused to apologise on Tuesday. "He didn't apologise for the remark made in the House. All INDIA bloc parties stood with him. Are these parties trying to divide the country? No one can divide this country. Some members of INDIA who are trying to divide the country into north and south will be unsuccessful in their conspiracy," Meghwal added.
