The incident happened during Question Hour when Speaker Sumitra Mahajan took up the issue of 'Go-India Smart Card', an initiative of the Railway Ministry, for discussion.
As neither Prabhu, nor Sinha were present in the House, Congress members led by Mallikarjun Kharge strongly protested and wanted to know why the Ministers were absent when the question relating to their Ministry was listed for business in the House.
As Congress members continued to protest, Mahajan said that she had limited options. "What should I do? Should I hang him? I said it should not have happened," she said.
Kharge said this was not for the first time that a Minister was absent when matters related to their Ministries were taken up.
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"You were here day before yesterday. When there is a discussion, Cabinet Minister should be present. That day also the Minister was not present, but we kept mum. Because they requested that such things will not happen again.
Railway Minister would not be present. If the cabinet Minister is not in the House due to some work, the MoS is there.
"He had given reply to the first question. He can give the reply for the second question too. There is no such rule. He can give reply under the rules. But it is a fact that the way he has left the House, till the complete question hour comes to an end, normally we do not reach fifth or sixth question, he has left under that impression.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said it is a mistake and Sinha was very much in the House and he might have thought that the next Railway Ministry question will not come up.
"But it is not correct. I am sorry for what has happened. I want to put it on record, on behalf of the government, I am sorry. It will not be repeated. If the Speaker wants, she can postpone the question also. I have no problem in that," he said.
"But, as rightly observed by the Speaker, the Minister should be in the House whether the Question comes up or not," he said.