For the second consecutive day, the Congress raised a din in Parliament on Tuesday demanding Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s resignation over DDCA controversy as the party came in for a sharp rebuke in the lok Sabha from Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, who said they did not have any national interest but only vested interest.
In the Rajya Sabha, the pre-lunch session could not take up Zero Hour and Question Hour as the Congress members repeatedly stormed into the Well of the House raising slogans. Jaitley was present during the protest.
Raising the issue in the Upper House soon after the Zero Hour commenced, Congress member Kumari Selja, in apparent reference to lok Sabha BJP member Kirti Azad, said a ruling party member had leveled serious charges against Jaitley over the functioning of the DDCA. She also said charges were made against Jaitley who is the leader of the House and “we all look up to him.”
BJP members protested against her remarks and Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien disallowed Selja’s motion to suspend business to discuss the issue. He ruled that in case of leveling allegations, she has to inform the member concerned through proper rules.
“Have you done thatIJ You have to intimate the member,” he asked, adding “for an allegation of incriminating nature, advance intimation has to be given. Then only such an allegation can be taken up.”
However, the Congress members were in no mood to relent and continued raising slogans against Jaitley and the BJP also raised counter slogans leading to pandemonium. The House then saw four adjournments during Zero Hour and Question Hour.
In the lok Sabha too, Congress MPs continued their protests seeking the resignation of Finance Minister over the alleged DDCA row and walked out of the House after the Speaker did not allow them to speak amid objections from the Treasury Benches.
During the Question Hour, the Congress members stormed the Well and raised slogans but returned to their seats to raise some issue as soon as the Zero Hour began at noon.
Congress member KC Venugopal wanted to raise some issue but was disallowed by Mahajan.
Raising strong objection, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Pratap Rudy said such a practice cannot go on and urged the Speaker not to give this “facility” to the Congress MPs, who first disrupt the House then want to raise their issues. All members want your protection,” he said.
The Speaker said she cannot allow the Congress members to speak as they had not given any prior notice. Following this, they staged a walkout.
At one stage when BJD MP Jay Panda drew attention to pandemonium in the House saying he was asking an important question on the security of Odisha’s coast line, the Speaker said, “they have no national interest, national feeling, but only vested interest.”