Om Puri says sorry,MPs file privilege notices in LS and RS

But Kiran Bedi said she was not going to apologise and was prepared for any punishment. “Sorry no apology for being demonstratively a voice of public anguish. Prepared for any punishment,” she tweeted.

The privilege notices have been filed by a growing band of MPs who felt outraged by their caustic remarks discrediting politicians at the Ramlila Maidan last week.

Reading out the names of MPs who had given notices — Vinay Kumar Pandey,P L Punia,Harshvardhan,Jagdambika Pal,Praveen Singh Aron,Premdas,Kamal Kishor,Mirza Aslam Beg,Ramashankar Rajbhar,Lalchand Kataria and Shailendra Kumar — Meira Kumar indicated that she would be taking a view on the issue soon.

Rajya Sabha members Ramgopal Yadav and Mohammed Adeeb too have given privilege notices accusing Puri and Bedi of lowering the dignity of Parliament through derogatory and defamatory remarks. Deputy chairperson K Rahman Khan said the matter was under consideration of the chair.

Speaking to The Indian Express,noted filmmaker and Rajya Sabha member Shyam Benegal,who has known Om Puri for many years,said,“I was taken by complete surprise when I heard his statements.”

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi,however,complimented MPs for not getting provoked.

“I would salute all MPs collectively for restraint exercised inside Parliament,despite the immunity they enjoyed,in the face of extremely provocative statements. Even though those who spoke outside Parliament do not enjoy any immunity”.

Meanwhile,RJD’s Raghuvansh Prasad opposed a privilege motion against Puri and Bedi,arguing that the issue had already ended. “When the matter has come back on track,we should not look back,” he said.