NEW DELHI: In a rare instance, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu expunged Prime Minister Narendra Modi ’s remarks on Congress’s B K Hariprasad, who lost the election for the deputy chairman’s post. Modi, in his speech congratulating Harivansh on Thursday, said the election was between “two Haris”.

He went on to make a comment on Hariprasad, playing on his initials, which was seen as derogatory and infuriated Congress and even other opposition parties. Soon after making the “derogatory” remark, Modi praised Hariprasad for doing his bit to protect the dignity of democracy in a lost battle, but RJD’s Manoj Kumar Jha raised an objection under Rule 238.

Some Congress members also lodged a protest. Hariprasad was upset at Modi’s wordplay too. “The PM belittled the dignity of the chair and brought down the dignity of the House,” he said.

Naidu, who had assured that he would watch the video and take a decision, expunged the remark. Hariprasad lost the deputy chairman’s election to Harivansh by a margin of 23 votes. There have been two other occasions when a PM’s remarks were expunged.

A heated exchange between then PM Manmohan Singh and then leader of opposition in RS Arun Jaitley was removed, as also then PM H D Deve Gowda’s reference to then Congress chief Sitaram Kesri during a no-confidence motion.

