Former party colleagues Jyotiraditya Scindia and Shashi Tharoor found themselves on either side of the 'Hindi fence' on Thursday, with the Union minister responding to an English question in Hindi and the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram terming it an insult. While responding to supplementary questions asked by members from Tamil Nadu in English, the civil aviation minister replied in Hindi. Soon after, Tharoor commented that it was an "apman (insult)" that the minister was responding in Hindi. The minister speaks English and let him reply in English, Tharoor said. "Zara jawab Hindi mein mat dijiye. ye apman hai logon ka (Please don't give replies in Hindi. it is an insult to people)," Tharoor said during Question Hour. A visibly peeved Scindia said it was strange for the member to make such a comment. "Mein Hindi bole to eithraaz ho raha hai (If I speak in Hindi, (the member) has objection," he said, adding that there was also a translator in the House. Immediately after Tharoor made the remarks, Speaker Om Birla said, "Ye apman nahi hain (this is not an insult)."
