"Will the government save me? I need protection" - Tamil Nadu lawmaker Sasikala Pushpa wept as she made the stunning declaration in Parliament on Monday, moments before her AIADMK announced that she had been sacked for embarrassing the party.
On her feet as soon as the day's business started in the Rajya Sabha, Ms Pushpa said: "If a leader can slap an MP... Where is human dignity? I need the government's protection. In Tamil Nadu, I have no safety."
Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien stopped her, saying she could not name anyone who could not come to the house and defend themselves.
The 40-year-old MP took no names but the Indo-Asian News Service quoted her as telling reporters outside Parliament, "I was slapped by her yesterday."
Ms Pushpa was in tears as she despaired over the consequences of her brawl with an MP of the rival DMK, Trichy Siva, at the Delhi airport on the weekend, which resulted in both being thrown out of a flight. "I am being compelled to resign from a parliamentary post by my leader...I want to serve the country," she complained.
On cue was a statement from the AIADMK. Ms Pushpa has been sacked for "bringing great disrepute to the party," said Jayalalithaa, the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, who commands great fear and reverence in the ranks.
Ms Pushpa and Trichy Siva got into what was seen as a disgraceful scrap when both were at the security check for the same flight on Saturday.
No one knows what started it but one moment the two were arguing in Tamil and the next, they were lunging at each other, raining blows and kicks.
Ms Pushpa later claimed she had reacted to Mr Siva abusing her supreme leader Jayalalithaa.
As she pleaded for help in the Rajya Sabha, opposition members came to her support but an AIADMK parliamentarian was seen repeatedly walking to the Chair and requesting that her remarks be expunged.
On her feet as soon as the day's business started in the Rajya Sabha, Ms Pushpa said: "If a leader can slap an MP... Where is human dignity? I need the government's protection. In Tamil Nadu, I have no safety."
Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien stopped her, saying she could not name anyone who could not come to the house and defend themselves.
The 40-year-old MP took no names but the Indo-Asian News Service quoted her as telling reporters outside Parliament, "I was slapped by her yesterday."
Ms Pushpa was in tears as she despaired over the consequences of her brawl with an MP of the rival DMK, Trichy Siva, at the Delhi airport on the weekend, which resulted in both being thrown out of a flight. "I am being compelled to resign from a parliamentary post by my leader...I want to serve the country," she complained.
On cue was a statement from the AIADMK. Ms Pushpa has been sacked for "bringing great disrepute to the party," said Jayalalithaa, the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, who commands great fear and reverence in the ranks.
Ms Pushpa and Trichy Siva got into what was seen as a disgraceful scrap when both were at the security check for the same flight on Saturday.
No one knows what started it but one moment the two were arguing in Tamil and the next, they were lunging at each other, raining blows and kicks.
Ms Pushpa later claimed she had reacted to Mr Siva abusing her supreme leader Jayalalithaa.
As she pleaded for help in the Rajya Sabha, opposition members came to her support but an AIADMK parliamentarian was seen repeatedly walking to the Chair and requesting that her remarks be expunged.