For the second consecutive day, the Rajya Sabha on Thursday saw sharp exchanges between newly-nominated member Subramanian Swamy and the Congress. The main Opposition party’s members heckled the BJP member when he wanted to speak on his notice. Congress members also stormed into the Well of the House when Swamy made some ‘controversial’ remarks about the Constitution of a European country. Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien expunged the remarks and asked him to refrain from “unnecessarily provoking” members on the other side.
Trouble broke out when Swamy responded during Zero Hour to a reference made to him by Chaudhary Munavver Saleem (Samajwadi Party) about minority status to Aligarh Muslim University and said he had no objection to minority institutions but the Constitution prohibits the state from financing them. The BJP member then remarked about the Constitution of a foreign country leading to vociferous protest by Congress members.
As they rushed into the Well raising slogans, Kurien immediately expunged the remarks and directed the media not to publish or telecast it. Agitated members, however, continued to raise a din and engaged in a slanging match with Swamy and some BJP members.
Congress members insisted that the Chair should direct Swamy to sit down and leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said trouble erupted as the BJP leader made the remarks out of context. Azad also quipped the problem was a “new gift given by BJP” to the House in an apparent reference to Swamy’s nomination.
The Congress leader said Swamy was attending the House for the last two days and the Chair had to expunge his remarks on both the days. The BJP leader had dragged Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s name in AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal on Wednesday leading to repeated adjournments following the Opposition party’s protest.
On Thursday, Azad wondered what the House will do for the next 365 days about the expunctions, adding Swamy does not know the difference between street language and parliamentary words.
Earlier, when Swamy tried to speak on his notice under rule 167, Congress members heckled him. The BJP leader shot back and said, “I am not going to mention that lady’s name,” obviously referring to the Congress President. Kurien told the BJP member that Rule 167 is for discussion in House and the Chairman will decide. Order was then restored.