The high-pitch Congress protest in the lok Sabha on Tuesday witnessed high drama with papers torn and thrown towards the Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai, members from the Treasury Benches blocking the aggressive Congress members moving in the Well towards their side and Speaker Sumitra Mahajan describing the goings on as “murder of democracy” as two adjournments were forced before the House was finally adjourned for the day.
Just before the House was adjourned for the day, Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti, Jagdambika Pal, Kirron Kher and other BJP members too came to the Well to protest against the unruly behaviour of Congress members who were carrying placards and shouting too close to the Speaker’s seat for her comfort.
“I am extremely sad over the way you (Congress members) behaved with the Chair,” she observed before adjourning the House for the day. “The way the papers were thrown at Deputy Speaker cannot be pardoned. This is not the way. Is it a way (to behave)IJ I am warning you...Throwing paper is not proper,” she said.
BJP MP Brijbhusan Sharan Singh was seen blocking the Congress members who were advancing in the Well, falling on the Treasury side. The intervention of the BJP floor-managers, however, saved the situation from turning ugly.
Among other senior leaders, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on the Treasury side and Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gadhi were present in the House before it was adjourned for the day by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. Rahul was also seen joining party colleagues in raising slogans from his seat and thumping desks.
Earlier, the efforts to take up a discussion on the sustainable development goals, which was to be followed by a debate on issues arising out of IPl controversy, saw Congress members intensifying their protest on the lalit Modi and Vyapam issues.
As the Presiding Officer tried to go ahead with the business ignoring the protest, some Congress members tore papers and threw them towards the Deputy Speaker who immediately adjourned the House.
SP members, along with those from RJD and JD(U), also stormed the Well demanding release of caste census data.
Mahajan had come hard on the Opposition members saying, “this is murder of democracy. This is not democracy. 440 members want to talk and 40-50 members are not letting them. let people know how irresponsible they are. The Chair has no wish of being seen on the TV. let people watch them,” they said.
When Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge wanted to know about the fate of adjournment motion moved by the party members, Mahajan said, “I have rejected them,” leading to shouting from the Opposition Benches.
Accusing the Congress of disrupting the House, Parliamentary Affairs Minister said, “the Government was ready for discussion on any issue from IPl to BPl but the Opposition is not interested in the discussion.”
The Treasury side tried to struck hard the Congress side when Ministers responded to members queries during the Question Hour on the issues on Food park and environmental clearances to projects in States like Odisha and the record of the UPA Government.
BJD leader Bhratruhari Mahtab made a veiled attack on the Congress over continued disruptions in the lok Sabha, saying what was being witnessed was “manifestation of fascism” inside the House.