The lok Sabha proceedings were disrupted on Friday right from the word go with the Opposition attacking the Government over its decision to extend the lok Sabha session for three days without consulting it.
“It’s a unilateral decision. The House was not taken into confidence, nor was the Opposition. They (Government) take a decision and impose it on the BAC (Business Advisory Committee). This is dictatorship. This dictatorship will not be allowed in a democracy,” Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said, as he raised the matter.
The Government rejected the criticism saying the decision follows similar precedents but, accepted that leaders of some parties could not be informed on Thursday as the Rajya Sabha worked till late evening and many Ministers, including Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, were busy with the legislative business there.
Raising slogans like ‘tanashahi nahin chalegi’ (dictatorship will not be tolerated) and ‘Modi sarkar jawab do’ (Modi Government explain), protesting members of the Congress, the left and the TMC kept forcing Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to adjourn the lok Sabha thrice as the members marched into the Well.
The Speaker ruled that the House had been extended till May 13 after the BAC on Friday approved the decision taken by the Government on Thursday. She also allowed the Opposition members to raise the issue in the Zero Hour.
Sudip Bandhopadhyay (Trinamool Congress) said they got to know about the extension of the lok Sabha from news channels. He said it should not be a precedent.
The House briefly witnessed some verbal exchanges between the Congress and treasury benches after Naidu referred to Kharge as a “good boy.” As the Opposition members protested, the Minister said there should be some repartee in the House.
“He is a good man, very good man, very good elderly man,” he said, drawing smiles from members including Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
P Venugopal (AIADMK) said his party has no problem with the extension. This found support from leaders of TDP, TRS and YSR Congress.