Rajya Sabha proceedings were washed out for the second successive day amid protests by opposition MPs. Express photo by Ravi Kanojia.Protesting Opposition members, led by the TMC, and joined by the Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP) and TDP, disrupted proceedings in Lok Sabha on Tuesday. They shouted slogans against the CBI and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leading to repeated adjournments, and at times verbal duel with ruling party members.
Rajya Sabha proceedings were washed out for the second successive day amid protests by opposition MPs. When the Lok Sabha met in the morning, TMC MPs swarmed around the Speaker’s chamber shouting slogans such as “CBI tota hai (CBI is a parrot)” and “chowkidar chor hai (chowkidar, as Modi refers to himself, is a thief)”, even as their party colleague Dinesh Trivedi asked a question on welfare schemes for farmers.
With Congress MPs also standing in the Well of the House, holding placards demanding a joint Parliamentary committee probe into the Rafale deal, SP and TDP members joined the TMC MPs. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said, “The Supreme Court is hearing the matter. You do not have faith in CBI, you do not have faith in Supreme Court…this is not done…the case is being heard by SC…. Let all institutions perform their (respective) roles.”
Mahajan then adjourned proceedings until noon. When the House reassembled, Trinamool MPs continued their protests, maintaining that “it is confirmed the CBI is a parrot.” Mahajan allowed some members to raise matters of public importance, but then adjourned until 2 pm.
In the afternoon, as the House took up the Motion of Thanks on President’s address, Congress and TMC members went into the Well and shouted slogans. Both parties later staged a walkout.
The Motion began with BJP MP Hukmdev Narayan Yadav’s speech, interrupted by sloganeering by TMC members. When Yadav alleged “corrupt and anti-social elements” were grouping together against PM Modi, most Opposition members stood up and urged the Speaker to expunge the statement. As disruptions continued, the House was adjourned for 10 minutes at 2.20 pm.
At resumption, it was Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge’s turn to speak. Kharge urged the Speaker to postpone the discussion to Wednesday since the House was not in order. TMC leader Sudip Bandopadhyay made a similar request. Mahajan asked how they will guarantee order in the House on Wednesday, to which Kharge said, “When the government commits mistakes, one has to agitate…”
Assuring the Speaker on behalf of his party that the House will run smoothly on Wednesday, Bandopadhyay said, “We are of the opinion that some major things happened in Kolkata. The Supreme Court has given its judgment …(It) is totally against one Central Government institution…. So we are opposing (protesting). I request Rajnath-ji to rise to the occasion and take the decision accordingly…”
Home Minister Rajnath Singh said those who want to speak on Wednesday should be given time, but those who want to participate today should be allowed to speak. As slogan-shouting went on, the Speaker adjourned for half-an-hour. At 4 pm, when proceedings resumed, Bandopadhyay demanded a statement from the PM on the CBI issue. TMC members soon walked out, followed by the Congress.
