Rafale disrupts House again

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 18

Proceedings of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha remained disrupted for the fifth day today amid sloganeering and protests by Treasury and Opposition Benches over a range of issues, including the Rafale deal.

In the Lok Sabha, members of the Treasury Benches added to the melee while Speaker Sumitra Mahajan chided them for behaving as schoolchildren. Expected scenes played out with BJP and Congress members trading charges, displaying placards and calling each other “liar” and “thief”. While the Congress demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the jet deal, the BJP dared it to a “discussion on all issues”. Many BJP members raised slogans and displayed placards, demanding an apology from Congress president Rahul Gandhi on the Rafale deal. While Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh struggled to give an answer related to production of garlic in the din, BJP MPs could be seen rushing up to him and others who participated in the question to make the most of television cameras.

The House was adjourned for the day after the Speaker failed to buy peace. Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who continued to press for a JPC probe into the jet deal, said all had been said on the issue during the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar again reiterated that the government was ready on all issues, virtually striking down the demand for JPC.

Mahajan, who reminded the members of their duties as Parliamentarians, said Parliament was a place for discussion and debate. The country is going to polls soon and who has done what scam will be decided by people, she added. “Often I am asked how the school (Parliament) is functioning,” she said, referring to the behaviour of MPs as schoolchildren. “I got a message that school kids are better than us. Are we worse than school kids?”

Mahajan said the members were well aware that this was an important session as everyone will face elections after this. “This does not send a good message and we have to face the public,” she said.

The Speaker said, “The JPC is not in my hands but I can assure that the government is ready for discussion on all issues.” But the ruckus prevailed with the AIADMK, the TDP and the Congress thronging the Well. The TDP members were demanding a special status for Andhra Pradesh while the AIADMK MPs were protesting against a dam on the Cauvery. In the melee, the National Institute of Design (Amendment) Bill, 2018, was introduced in the House.

In the Rajya Sabha too, Chairman Venkaiah Naidu urged the members to allow the House to function as various notices on urgent matters have been admitted for discussion. But as the protests continued, the Chairman adjourned the House for the day. (With agency inputs)

‘Worse than schoolchildren’

"Often I am asked how the school (Parliament) is functioning…I got a message that school kids are better than us. Are we (parliamentarians) worse than school kids?" Sumitra Mahajan, Lok Sabha Speaker