AAP leader Bhagwant Mann speaking in the Lok Sabha on Thursday
The Opposition united yet again in Parliament today, this time to protest against Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan's decision to expunge an Aam Aadmi Party member's comment against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a debate on a farmer's death at a rally in Delhi on Wednesday.
The strong protests forced the Speaker to promise that she would reconsider her decision.
Bhagwant Mann, who now heads the small team of AAP lawmakers in the Lok Sabha, had taken a dig at PM Modi's radio show 'Mann ki Baat,' demanding better policies and schemes for farmers.
Ms Mahajan immediately ordered that the remark be expunged, action that the Speaker takes when unparliamentary comments or remarks are made by lawmakers.
Amid loud protests the Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge along with Saugata Roy of the Trinamool Congress, sought to know under which rule the Speaker had made the decision, arguing that Mr Mann's remark on Mann ki Baat was neither "unparliamentary", nor "against rules".
Ms Mahajan contended that it was not fair to "drag the PM's name into every issue."
Mr Kharge also said that members have a right to speak against the Prime Minister as he is the Leader of the House.
"Against whom will they speak if they have to criticise the government," he asked.
Ms Mahajan later agreed to review her decision, as protests continued.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi was seen rallying her party's MPs to raise the matter.
AAP members protested against the order in the aisle.
Ms Mahajan has frequently expressed her displeasure at criticism of PM Modi by opposition members in their speeches in the Budget session of Parliament.
Today, when PM Modi entered the House, Mr Kharge said caustically, "We are fortunate that the PM has come." The Speaker objected to this.
Mr Kharge then said "he is the Prime Minister of the country. But you are supreme in this House. Here, everyone is under you, even the Prime Minister is under you, we are all under you."