An array of law and order issues in lok Sabha on Thursday witnessed members of "rival parties" in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal clashing with each other with MPs aggressively hurling accusations on the count of "deteriorating" law and order in these States.
The lower House witnessed heated exchanges between Congress and Treasury Benches as BJP MP Prahlad Joshi raised the issue saying the Karnataka Government has not accepted the demands of the parents of the IAS officer for a CBI investigation into the death of their 35-year-old son DK Ravikumar. Congress members from Karnataka rejected Joshi's contention that the State Government was not sensitive to the issue of death of the officer.
Responding on the issue, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the issue was flagged by a delegation of MPs who met him and said the Karnataka Chief Minister has informed him that after receiving more details, he would send a detailed report to the Centre.
If the State Government recommends a CBI probe, the Centre will immediately order an enquiry by the Central investigating agency, Singh said. The House also witnessed verbal exchanges between members of several parties over the law and order situation in States like Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Attack on one of the MPs traveling in a train in UP was also raised in the House.
The proceedings of the House were adjourned for 15 minutes amid pandemonium created by left members from Kerala who wanted to raise the issue of alleged violation of Dalit Act in the State. AIADMK leader P Venugopal said an incident of eve-teasing was misinterpreted by the media as an attack on a Dalit and added that a few persons have been detained in this regard.
Soon after SS Ahluwalia (BJP) raised the issue of the alleged rape and murder of a 75-year-old woman in West Bengal and demanded dismissal of the State's "woman Chief Minister" if she fails to protect women in the State, a heated exchange of words followed between Ahluwalia and Trinamool's Kalyan Banerjee. The TMC member said it was not a case of rape and four accused were already arrested by the State police
Despite several attempts by the Speaker, Ahluwalia and Banerjee continued to hurl accusations against each other, prompting the Chair to say that she would arm them with sticks so that they can settle the matter.
"Very good...You are wasting the time of the House," she remarked and expunged the accusations from the record. Mahajan said rapes and atrocities on women should not be used to launch political attacks on rivals and "not politicised".
Prahlad Patel (BJP) said Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister Jayant Malaiya and his wife were robbed on the Jabalpur-Nizamuddin Express train near Mathura early Thursday and said similar incidents have taken place on the same train before.
He said the robbers entered the AC coach but could not be fired upon when they fled aw away as Railway Protection Force maintained that they were not authorised to fire outside the station. He demanded that RPF be provided with more freedom to use weapons when such incidents take place.