New Delhi: Disturbed by unruly behaviour of some of the Upper House parliamentarians, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien on Friday wondered if this was democracy where five people shout and strangle the voice of other MPs.


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Kurien's stringent remarks came after he failed to convince a few MPs to stay quiet. The MPs were continuously shouting and not letting others express their views.


The Rajya Sabha has been witnessing huge uproar over recent incident in Jawaharlal Nehru University and Rohith Vemula suicide case.


The Upper House, which is debating both the contentious issues since Thursday, today witnessed unruly scenes over Union Minister Smriti Irani's statements about Goddess Durga.


Opposition parties today sought an apology from HRD minister Smriti Irani for reading out in Rajya Sabha "objectionable" comments made outside against a god, as she defended herself saying she was asked for proof of her statements against JNU students.


Siding with the Congress on the issue, CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury said: "The quote was deliberate. The BJP used the entire debate to polarize. What was the need to bring in Goddess Durga? Irani has to apologise."


Irani, however, remained unfazed by the criticism and asserted that she herself was a "practising hindu and a Durga worshipper".