Thiruvananthapuram: CPI Rajya Sabha MP P Sandosh Kumar on Tuesday urged House chairperson C P Radhakrishnan to expunge Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s remarks describing communists as ‘total cowards’. He said that the comments were derogatory and violated parliamentary decorum.In a letter to the chairperson, Sandosh said Sitharaman made the remarks while replying to Monday’s debate on a resolution seeking disapproval of the Income-Tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026.Referring to CPM MP John Brittas during her reply, Sitharaman had said, “Communists in this country are total cowards. Members have proven that. They can’t face facts.” She also accused the communists of twisting facts, filibustering and creating confusion.Sandosh said the remarks went beyond criticism of a member’s arguments and amounted to a sweeping attack on the movement and its supporters.He said the characterisation disregarded the movement’s history and the sacrifices of the communists during the freedom struggle. The activists had endured imprisonment and colonial repression and contributed to democratic, workers’ and social movements, he said.“The minister is entitled to disagree with the arguments advanced by any member. However, political disagreement cannot be converted into personal abuse or an insulting characterisation of an entire political ideology and movement,” Sandosh said.He sought the remark’s removal from the Rajya Sabha records and urged the chairperson to uphold the dignity of the House and standards of parliamentary discourse.
