The political face-off between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress over the CBI’s attempt to question Kolkata Police Commissioner on the chit-fund scam dominated both the houses of the Parliament and led to a wash out of proceedings in the Rajya Sabha for the second day on Tuesday and triggered heated exchanges between the rival MPs in the Lok Sabha.
The proceedings of Lok Sabha were adjourned for nearly 45 minutes on Tuesday morning amid noisy protests by Trinamool Congress members over the CBI versus Kolkata Police issue. A disturbed Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said, “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 the SC. Let Parliament do its function. Let all institutions perform their (respective) roles,” she said while adjourning the proceedings till noon.
As soon as the House took up Question Hour, agitated TMC members rushed to the Well raising slogans against the Prime Minister and the CBI.Members from Congress, TRS, SP, RJD also entered the Well but did not raise slogans.
Interestingly, when the TMC members were shouting slogans, their fellow member and former Union Minister Dinesh Trivedi was asking a supplementary question on agriculture.
Later in the day the Motion of Thanks on President’s address was taken up for discussion that witnessed acrimonious scenes and slogan shouting in the LS.
Principal opposition Congress too staged a walk out saying its members should have been the first ones to speak but were being denied a chance. Speaker told Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, that he wasn’t present in the House when his name was called.
As BJP MP Humkmdev Narayan Yadav initiated the discussion, most TMC members trooped into the Well and started shouting slogans. Despite requests from Speaker, they continued with their protest on issue of CBI.
When Yadav alleged that “corrupt and anti-social elements” were grouping together against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, most of the opposition members stood up and urged the Speaker to expunge the statement.
As the verbal duel continued, Aparupa Poddar (TMC) and Veena Devi (LJP) made threatening gestures at each other. The situation was salvaged by senior members of the House. A visibly upset Speaker then asked the members to maintain decorum and adjourned the house for 10 minutes till 2.30 pm.
Rajya Sabha proceedings were washed out for the second day in a row amid protests by opposition parties, including TMC, SP and Congress, over alleged misuse of the CBI in West Bengal. As soon as the House resumed proceedings in the afternoon, members of the TMC, SP and Congress trooped into the
well raising slogans like “Save Constitution, Save Nation”. Deputy Chairman Harivansh said opposition members can raise issues under laid down rules and procedures of the House and they should allow discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address.
He said there is no limit on the scope of discussion on an issue under rules.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Goel said there was no morality in protesting in Parliament as the Supreme Court order on the issue has already come.When the opposition did not relent, the Deputy Chairman adjourned the House for the day.