Ananth Kumar, Subbarami Reddy challenge each other's info

New Delhi, Dec 4 (UNI) BJP member Ananth Kumar and Minister of State for Mines T Subbarami Reddy entered into a verbal duel in the Lok Sabha today to prove each other wrong, to the amusement of the entire House.

While asking a supplementary on mines, Mr Ananth Kumar said the information provided by the Minister in his written reply was not related to the question asked.

Mr Reddy got up to re-read the written answer, and then told Mr Ananth Kumar: ''You are wrong and I am right.'' At this, Mr Ananth Kumar said the Minister was misleading the House by not providing the relevant information, and remarked: ''I am right and you are wrong.'' Intervening, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee told Mr Ananth Kumar that the Minister would clarify his doubts over a cup of tea.

Mr Ananth Kumar said he would surely go to Mr Reddy's house to have tea, but the Minister cannot mislead the House, prompting Mr Chatterjee to say that this called for more than a cup of tea.

All this while, the entire House had a good laugh.

Sensing that the matter was going out of control, Parlimentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi tried to calm down the Minister, and even went up to him to ask him to take his seat and not get provoked.

Immediately, Mr Ananth Kumar protested, saying that Mr Dasmunsi cannot go to a Minister and guide him.

''This is a good example of Cabinet functioning,'' Mr Chattejee said, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

But Mr Ananth Kumar and other BJP members got spurred up when Mr Yerrananidu (TDP) said they wanted a full discussion on the subject, forcing the Speaker to threaten to adjournment the House.

''I will adjourn the House and go, let the country see how you behave,'' he said.

When the Opposition members demanded a discussion, Mr Chatterjee said he would decide on it only after receiving proper notice.

This pacified the members, and the Speaker called for the next question.

Within a minute when the atmosphere seemed to have cooled down, Mr Chatterjee remarked that he appreciated that Mr Reddy was effective.

Somewhat taking it as a cue, Mr Reddy again got up and said he would prove that he was right and Mr Ananth Kumar was wrong, drawing peals of laughter from the House.

UNI