BackTMC members stage walkout in Lok Sabha as opposition disrupts Rajya Sabha
TMC members staged a walkout, even as government said it was willing to discuss issues related to Saradha scam
Premium
New Delhi: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) members on Tuesday alleged in Lok Sabha that Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was being misused in the Saradha scam and staged a walkout, even as government said it was willing to discuss issues related to the fraud.
As soon as the House met for the day, more than 20 TMC members trooped into the Well and shouted slogans for sometime before staging a walkout. They alleged that the country’s federal structure was being challenged by misusing CBI in the Saradha case. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan rejected an adjournment notice given by TMC leader Saugata Roy. TMC members were heard shouting that misuse of CBI should be stopped. Observing that it does not make any sense to disrupt the House everyday, parliamentary affairs minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said government was ready for a discussion. “Let there be a debate on Saradha scam anytime," the minister said, adding that corruption cannot be hidden by shouting slogans in the House.
However, Congress members protested against Naidu making an intervention in the matter, with party leader Mallikarjun Kharge wondering as to how the parliamentary affairs minister can clarify on the Saradha issue during Question Hour. Last week, CBI had arrested West Bengal transport minister Madan Mitra in connection with the scam.
On the other hand, a determined opposition led by Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) on Tuesday forced two adjournments in Rajya Sabha in the pre-noon session over its demand for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reply on the issue of forced conversion. Barring Tamil Nadu parties, the entire Opposition raised slogans and stormed into the Well, forcing deputy chairman P.J. Kurien to adjourn the House first for 15 minutes and then till noon. As soon as the House met for the day, Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) said the government had on Monday stated that there was no order asking schools to remain open on Christmas Day for an essay competition on ‘Good Governance’ to mark former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birthday. He said he had a copy of the circular issued to schools and wanted it to be placed on the table of the House.
Soon Congress, SP, BSP, JD-U and TMC members joined in to raise statements by ministers and ruling party MPs, which the opposition members contended were vitiating the communal atmosphere. They trooped into the Well shouting slogans “Dharam Ka Sauda Band Ko" (Stop Selling Religion) and demanding a reply from the Prime Minister. Treasury benches objected to repeated disruptions with minister of state for parliamentary affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi saying the government was ready for an immediate debate on the issue but the opposition was running away from it. Attempts by Kurien to restore order failed, forcing the first adjournment for 15 minutes.
Similar scenes were witnessed when the House resembled. Kurien asked Naresh Agarwal (SP), who had given a notice, to speak but as soon as he began to make his submission, treasury benches shouted him down. This led to Opposition members trooping into the well shouting slogans. Telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the government was ready for a debate but the opposition was running away. The protest, he said, was politically motivated.
Kurien told the slogan shouting members that Parliament was not for slogan shouting but for debate. “Government is ready for discussion. Why don’t you agree for a discussion," he said but the members kept shouting. “Very unfortunate. I am so disappointed at unruly behaviour of members. You are elected to the House not to shout slogans but to debate and discuss... This is height of indiscipline... unbecoming behaviour," he said. He asked Agarwal and Anand Sharma (Congress) to call back their party members but none heeded to his pleas, forcing him to adjourn the proceedings till noon. PTI
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!
