Om Puri regrets but Speaker mulls action against him

Monday August 29, 2011 03:55:21 PM, IANS

New Delhi: Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar said Monday that she was considering a privilege motion against actor Om Puri for his "derogatory and defamatory" remarks against MPs during a rally in Ramlila Maidan last week.

"The matter is under my consideration. I have received notices on the question of privilege," the speaker said in the Lok Sabha as the actor apologised for his comments in which called politicians "uneducated" and "incompetent".

Congress MPs Praveen Singh Aron, Jagdambika Pal, Vinay Pandey, Harsh Vardhan, P.L. Punia and Kamal Kishor, as also Mirza Mehboob Beg (National Conference) and Ramashankar Rajbhar (Bahujan Samaj Party) have given notices against Puri for using "derogatory and defamatory words against members of parliament and also casting reflections on the house".

The Samajwadi Party's Premdas Katheria and Shailendra Kumar have also given notices against the Bollywood actor, known for his roles in films as varied as "Ardh Satya", "West is West" and "Chachi 420".

Puri apologised and said he wasn't drunk as some people had said, just emotionally charged.

"I respect the parliament and the constitutional body. I am very proud to be an Indian. It was wrong on my part to use such terms. I wasn't drunk, I was just emotionally charged, such things do come from mouth.....even our politicians at times, in a fit of anger, use such things," Om told CNN-IBN.

"I would love to be there (in the parliament) to explain my emotions... the forum which leaders like Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru have been a part of. If they (parliament) are still angry with me I will take whatever punishment they give me," the actor added.

The 60-year-old actor created a stir Friday with his speech attacking politicians. He told the thousands gathered that he feels "ashamed when an IAS or IPS officer salutes a ganwar (illiterate) who is a neta (political leader)".

"Yeh anpadh hain, inka kya background hai? Aadhe se zyaada MP ganwaar hain...," the well known actor said.

Home | Top of the Page

Top Stories

People's power triumphs, celebrations across the country

An unparalleled 12-day movement that coalesced people across India on the need to eradicate corruption and saw the political establishment  »

Hindu-Muslim unity in Anna's support

Anna's fight against corruption: Timeline

Anna movement was unarmed attack on corruption

  Most Read

A Ramzan walk down the bylanes of Old Delhi

The grandeur of history in the long winding lanes of Old Delhi have always been a must see for tourists. There is, however, an added charm during the month of Ramzan. A walk in the narrow lanes during Ramzan organised  »

Maoists return to power in Nepal

Against the backdrop of violent protests in Kathmandu and outside, Nepal's former Maoist guerrillas returned to power Sunday, two years after the fall of their first government, with parliament electing India-educated leader Baburam Bhattarai as the restive republic's fourth prime minister in three years. The 57-year-old scholar, who  »

  News Pick

Hurricane Irene in US: 18 killed, millions affected

As Hurricane Irene petered out leaving 18 dead across seven states and impacting millions with strong winds and drenching rains, authorities prepared   »

Can't commute death sentence of Rajiv killers: Jayalalithaa

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa Monday said she does not have the power to commute the death sentence of the three convicts in former  »

Woman torches herself to save Rajiv killers

Stone pelters on bikes attack Kashmir police station

Over 300 motorcycle-borne stone pelters attacked a police station in this Jammu and Kashmir summer capital, injuring six policemen. Over 70 attackers were arrested and 10 bikes were seized during the clashes, which   »

British army cleared of torturing Iraqi to death

An inquiry into the death of an Iraqi national in British custody in Iraq has cleared the army of systematic torture, according to a media report. But individual soldiers will be accused of dereliction of duty, and the army's command  »

Picture of the Day

The 27th of Ramadan (August 26, 2011 this year), "Laylet al-Qadr" (Night of Power), is one of the holiest nights of the Islamic calendar, the night when the Quran began to be revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). Millions from around the world visit the Grand Mosque in Makkah from all over the world and pray over the night.