Expelled Congress MP Lagadapati Rajagopal has claimed that he had used the
pepper spray in self-defence.
Speaking to media personnel in Hyderabad, Rajagopal said that he rushed into the well of the House only after a Seemandhra MP was attacked. Stating that he did not resorted to any violence, he said that he took the step only in self-defence.
The incident took place when Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde was tabling the Telangana Bill in the House. It seems that Rajagopal's use of that fateful pepper spray led to chaos.
The strong pungent odour triggered coughing among the MPs who rushed out of the house. Doctors were called and three MPs were taken to hospital. When the House re-assembled at 2.00 pm, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar suspended 18 MPs, from both Telangana and Seemandhra regions, for their unruly behaviour in the House.
Rajagopal also slammed the Speaker for the suspension of these MPs. He accused the Speaker of acting in a partisan manner.(INN)