Mann stands with back to Speaker’s chair, irks MPs

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 19

Aam Aadmi Party MP Bhagwant Mann today irked several MPs when he stood with his back towards the chair of the Speaker while talking to HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar in the House.

After intervening briefly in the debate on the Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIIT) Bill, which the House later passed, Mann walked across the Well to the Treasury benches to say something to Javadekar, who was piloting the legislation as Education Minister.

Perched in the Well of the Lok Sabha, Mann virtually leaned on the Minister’s chair with his back to the presiding officer, Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai at that time.

MPs from across sections in the House quickly voiced their displeasure at Mann’s action prompting him to rectify his mistake.

The Sangrur MP, however, decided to occupy the seat next to Javadekar, reserved for government’s topmost ministers and next to the seat of Home Minister Rajnath Singh. He did not leave until he had finished what he had to say even as Javadekar looked visibly embarrassed and was seen nudging the Punjab MP to return to his seat.

Mann has often courted controversies in Parliament and was last in news for being asked to stay away from the House until a parliamentary panel decided on the merits of a video he had posted revealing security check points, entries and work procedures of Parliament.