New Delhi, July 18: The Monsoon session of Parliament had a stormy start, with the opposition forcing a washout Tuesday by creating pandemonium over various issues and an angry BSP chief Mayawati threatening to resign from the Rajya Sabha for not being allowed to speak on the Dalit issue.
Members from parties like the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, the Left parties and the RJD created uproar in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha as soon as the Houses met for the day. Due to the ruckus, the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day minutes after noon following one adjournment earlier while the Rajya Sabha was adjourned repeatedly till 3 pm and then for the day, without transacting any business.
Though the Monsoon session began Monday, Tuesday was the first working day as Monday, both the Houses were adjourned, without transacting any business, after obituary references to the department MPs. Tuesday, the opposition members wanted to raise issues like “atrocities” against dalits, violent incidents involving cow vigilantes and the plight of farmers.
In the Rajya Sabha, as soon as the House assembled for the day, Mayawati raised the issue of violence against Dalits against the backdrop of riots in Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh sometime back. While she was speaking, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien asked her to wrap up as she had exceeded the three-minute duration set for each member during the Zero Hour. At this, Mayawati got angry and asked how she could be prevented from raising the issue about her ‘samaj’ (community) and the Dalits. “I have not finished. You cannot do this,” she said.
Kurien asked her not to make a full-fledged speech and she can seek a discussion after giving a notice under Rule 267 that seeks adjournment of proceedings to take up an issue. A discussion can begin only after the Chair, on the advice of the government, accepts the notice and agrees for a discussion.
Kurien rose from his seat in an attempt to calm her down but Mayawati refused to agree saying she has no right to be in the House if she cannot protect the rights of her community.
Her party colleagues led by Satish Mishra followed her but were back in the House soon to raise slogans against the alleged anti-Dalit policies of the government. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said Mayawati was challenging the Chair.
Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad briefly prevailed over them to allow him to make his submission. Azad said the government, at an all-party meeting before the start of the Monsoon Session, had agreed to discuss any issue that the opposition wants to raise in the house.
Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) said the government policies were pushing farmers to suicide. Naqvi said the government was ready for discussion on any issue and the opposition should give a notice. Kurien said the government was agreeing to have a discussion, so the opposition members should return to their seats and start it.
No sooner that the House reassembled at noon, slogan shouting Congress members trooped into the Well. They were followed by the members of Trinamool Congress and others. Amid slogan shouting by members of Congress and other parties, Chairman Hamid Ansari called for taking up the Question Hour. TMC member Derek O’Brien tried to speak but could not be heard amidst the noisy scenes.
As the protests continued, Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar challenged the opposition members to a discussion, asking why they were running away from it. However, as the uproar continued, the House was adjourned Wednesday. In the Lok Sabha, the opposition wanted to raise cow vigilantism, the plight of farmers and various other issues. Being disallowed, members from the Congress, RJD, TMC and the Left, among others, then trooped into Well. Many were shouting slogans and also displaying placards. The House was first adjourned after 15 minutes into Question Hour till noon as the bedlam continued. PTI