Union ministers Venkaiah Naidu and Ananth Kumar speak on uproar created by the Opposition in the House and demand for PM's apology over 'demonetisation deaths'.

"Lakhs of people committed suicide due to distress under your (Congress) regime. Who are you preaching?" Naidu said.

"Nationally, the PM got a mandate in his favour in bypolls, internationally, he got it in the form of Time magazine's Person of the Year peoples choice poll, what more mandate do you want," Naidu asked the Opposition.

While Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar asked the Opposition to apologise instead of seeking an apology from the PM.

"The Opposition is running away from discussion as they dont have any logic. They must apologise," he said.

Meanwhile, replying to Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, Union minister Smriti Irani said, "His remarks only shake the Congress party, not anyone else. He overestimates his ability to speak."

Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao said that the Congress vice president was not taken seriously even by his own party, adding that he is like Uttara Kumar of Mahabharata, who makes tall claims but in reality is a coward and comic character.