leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj’s decision to boycott all meetings by lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar is not without a reason. Careful examination of lok Sabha TV video footages of Tuesday reveals that the Speaker interrupted Swaraj as many as 60 times during her short six minute speech.
Swaraj was allowed to make a speech on Tuesday before walking out of the lok Sabha to allow the Government to complete budgetary exercises, a constitutional necessity, as part of an agreement between all political parties in a meeting called by the Speaker on Monday.
Things were mostly peaceful for the first three minutes of Swaraj’s speech but no sooner did she start referring to several scams during the UPA regime, Congress MPs were on their feet. When Swaraj’s speech entered into the fourth minute, the Speaker started asking her to conclude. Incidentally it was agreed at the all-party meeting that half an hour time will be set aside for Swaraj and others who would like to make a speech.
Kumar’s repeated “Alright”, “Thank you”, “Okay”, “I have to proceed” and similar words for at least 60 times during the next 120 seconds of Swaraj speech. She stopped only after Sushma announced that she was walking out.
It is not for the first time that Swaraj and Speaker have come face to face. It all started in 2011 when the Speaker chose to overrule Swaraj’s objection to her decision of allowing lok Sabha secretary general TK Vishwanathan an extension of one year.
In a letter to Kumar then, Swaraj had written that only officers from the lok Sabha cadre should be considered for the post of the secretary general of the House. “There has been considerable unease among lok Sabha staff over the latest trend of brining in outsiders to head their department,” she had written to the Speaker in August 2011.
Same month, Swaraj and lK Advani skipped a tea party of the Speaker. The two BJP leaders were agitated, as Kumar did not stop Congress MPs from disrupting Advani who was making a speech on the cash-for-vote scam.
Two years back, Swaraj had also complained to the Speaker for allowing Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi to make an a 10-minute long “out of turn” speech on lokpal issue during Zero hour when other members who had moved notices were not allowed.