Centre Rejects Sharad Pawar's Allegation That Outsiders Were Called In To Manhandle MPs In Rajya Sabha

Union minister Piyush Goyal said NCP chief Sharad Pawar was probably "wrongly informed" and also asked him to introspect on the behaviour of his "colleagues in Opposition".

The government on Thursday rejected claims that outsiders were brought in Rajya Sabha to manhandle Opposition members, saying marshals neither belong to the ruling side nor the opposition and alleged that it was a woman marshal who was in fact manhandled by those members. When asked about Sharad Pawar's allegation that outsiders were called in to manhandle opposition leaders including women MPs, Union minister Piyush Goyal said the NCP chief was probably "wrongly informed" and also asked him to introspect on the behaviour of his "colleagues in Opposition". The minister was addressing a joint press conference with his cabinet colleagues. "In 55 years of my parliamentary career, I have never seen this kind of behaviour towards women MPs in the August House. More than 40 men and women were brought into the House from outside. It is painful. It is an attack on democracy," Mr Pawar had alleged.